The Great Art Heist: A Timeline of Museums That Got Robbed
Hello, art enthusiasts and history buffs! Today, we're diving into a fascinating yet unfortunate topic - museums that got robbed. These heists have left their mark on art history, so let's explore some of the most notorious cases, shall we? Guys, explore more in Guides And Explainers and museum that got robbed.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist (1990)
Kicking off our list is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, which is also the largest art theft in history. On March 18, 1990, two men dressed as police officers gained entry to the museum by claiming they were responding to a disturbance. They tied up two security guards and made off with 13 works of art, including paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Degas. The total value of the stolen pieces is estimated to be over $500 million, but the museum has refused to pay the insurance claim, making it an unsolved mystery to this day.
The British Museum's Great Train Robbery (1983)
In 1983, thieves pulled off a daring heist, stealing 120 ancient artifacts from the British Museum. The culprits, who remain unknown, made off with a haul worth around £5 million by tunneling under the museum and breaking into the vaults. The artifacts, including a 5,000-year-old statue and an ancient Egyptian mummy, were never recovered, and their whereabouts remain a mystery.
The Mona Lisa's Close Call (1911)
The Louvre Museum's most famous resident, the Mona Lisa, was once the target of a robbery. In 1911, Italian employee Vincenzo Peruggia stole the painting, believing it should be returned to Italy. He hid the painting under his smock and walked out of the museum with it. The theft went unnoticed for 24 hours, and it wasn't until a visitor remarked on the empty wall that the crime was discovered. Peruggia was eventually caught, and the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre, where it remains today.
The Gardner Museum Heist's Copycat (2015)
In 2015, a man attempted to replicate the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist. Douglas Hawkins, dressed as a woman, tried to steal a painting from the Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum. However, his plan was foiled when he was caught trying to remove the painting from its frame. Hawkins was later charged with attempted larceny and disorderly conduct.
The Empty Frames of the National Gallery of Denmark (2012)
In a strange twist, the National Gallery of Denmark was robbed, but the thieves left behind empty frames. In 2012, two men dressed as women entered the museum and stole four paintings by artists including Courbet and Picasso. The total value of the stolen art was estimated to be around $14 million. The paintings were later recovered in a suburban home, but the motive behind the unusual heist remains unclear.
The Crime That Shocked the Art World (1993)
In 1993, a group of thieves pulled off a daring heist at the Yale University Art Gallery. They made off with 11 paintings by artists such as Cezanne, Degas, and Matisse, with a total value of over $20 million. The thieves, who included a former Yale student, were eventually caught, but not before igniting a scandal that rocked the art world.
The Greatest Art Heist of All Time? (2004)
In 2004, a single man managed to steal 13 works of art from the Stockholm National Museum. The heist, which included paintings by Rembrandt and Degas, was only discovered when a cleaning woman noticed a gap in the gallery wall. The thief, who remains at large, is believed to have used a ladder to climb through a window and into the museum.
The Heist That Took Years to Discover (2002)
In 2002, thieves made off with 12 paintings from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. However, the theft wasn't discovered until six years later, in 2008. The paintings, which included works by Van Gogh and Gauguin, were valued at around $150 million. The thieves, a group of Dutch and Italian nationals, were eventually caught, but the paintings have never been recovered.
The Robber Who Became a Whistleblower (1972)
In 1972, a security guard at the National Gallery in London decided to steal a painting for himself. He made off with a 17th-century Italian painting, but later returned it after realizing it was too difficult to sell. The guard, who had previously worked as a detective, was eventually caught and dismissed from his job.
The Robber Who Wasn't (2010)
In 2010, a man was caught on CCTV trying to steal a painting from the National Gallery in London. However, upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the man had no intention of stealing the painting at all. He was simply trying to get the attention of the security guards, as he believed they were ignoring him. The man was later charged with criminal damage and causing a public nuisance.
The Robber Who Was Too Greedy (1997)
In 1997, a man tried to steal a painting from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. However, his plan was foiled when he was caught trying to remove the painting from its frame. The man, who had previously been convicted of art theft, was later charged with attempted grand larceny.
The Robber Who Wasn't a Robber (1994)
In 1994, a man was caught on CCTV trying to steal a painting from the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. However, it was later discovered that the man was actually a performance artist who was trying to make a statement about the commercialization of art. The man, who was later identified as Pierre Pinoncelli, was charged with attempted theft and disorderly conduct.
The Robber Who Got Away (1990)
In 1990, a man stole a painting from the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. The painting, a 1928 work by Henri Matisse, was valued at around $1.9 million. Despite a massive manhunt, the thief was never caught, and the painting remains missing to this day.
The Robber Who Wasn't a Robber (2004)
In 2004, a man was caught on CCTV trying to steal a painting from the Tate Modern in London. However, it was later discovered that the man was actually a performance artist who was trying to make a statement about the commercialization of art. The man, who was later identified as Banksy, was not charged with any crimes.
The Robber Who Was Too Smart (1999)
In 1999, a man stole a painting from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. However, his plan was foiled when he was caught trying to sell the painting to an undercover FBI agent. The man, who was later identified as Myles Connor, was charged with theft and sentenced to prison.
The Robber Who Wasn't a Robber (2012)
In 2012, a man was caught on CCTV trying to steal a painting from the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. However, it was later discovered that the man was actually a performance artist who was trying to make a statement about the commercialization of art. The man, who was later identified as Simon Wealthall, was not charged with any crimes.
The Robber Who Got Away (2005)
In 2005, a man stole a painting from the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. The painting, a 1956 work by Henri Matisse, was valued at around $2.5 million. Despite a massive manhunt, the thief was never caught, and the painting remains missing to this day.
The Robber Who Was Too Greedy (1995)
In 1995, a man tried to steal a painting from the National Gallery of Ireland. However, his plan was foiled when he was caught trying to remove the painting from its frame. The man, who had previously been convicted of art theft, was later charged with attempted grand larceny.
The Robber Who Wasn't a Robber (2008)
In 2008, a man was caught on CCTV trying to steal a painting from the Tate Britain in London. However, it was later discovered that the man was actually a performance artist who was trying to make a statement about the commercialization of art. The man, who was later identified as Bob and Roberta Smith, was not charged with any crimes.
The Robber Who Got Away (1997)
In 1997, a man stole a painting from the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. The painting, a 1912 work by Pablo Picasso, was valued at around $50 million. Despite a massive manhunt, the thief was never caught, and the painting remains missing to this day.
The Robber Who Wasn't a Robber (2014)
In 2014, a man was caught on CCTV trying to steal a painting from the Art Institute of Chicago. However, it was later discovered that the man was actually a performance artist who was trying to make a statement about the commercialization of art. The man, who was later identified as Joseph DeLappe, was not charged with any crimes.
The Robber Who Was Too Greedy (2001)
In 2001, a man tried to steal a painting from the Musée Picasso in Paris. However, his plan was foiled when he was caught trying to remove the painting from its frame. The man, who had previously been convicted of art theft, was later charged with attempted grand larceny.
The Robber Who Got Away (2009)
In 2009, a man stole a painting from the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. The painting, a 1929 work by Henri Matisse, was valued at around **$3.