quote:Works by Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh were stolen from an art foundation's gallery in Zurich, Switzerland, according to Bernd Quellenberg, a spokesman for the Kunsthaus, a major art museum in Zurich.
quote:Works by Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh were stolen from an art foundation's gallery in Zurich, Switzerland, according to Bernd Quellenberg, a spokesman for the Kunsthaus, a major art museum in Zurich.
Bummer. Selfish black-market collectors.
Maybe if people would stop caring about art and learn to not appreciate it, then it's value would decrease to the point that stealing it wouldn't be worth it.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
I absolutely love museums, but this is like the drug trade. When there is black-market demand, some enterprising criminal will rise to satisfy it.
The problem is that some people with money are willing to hoard a work of art they can never display or share. It's so mind-bogglingly selfish.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
For me, it's like the families who have passed down medieval manuscripts of ancient texts and keep them - until some descendant needs money so they rip out a page and sell it.
Yes. It merits a double angst.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
| IP: Logged |
quote: The Swiss art heist follows the recent theft in Switzerland of two paintings by Pablo Picasso, Bjoern Quellenberg, a spokesman for the Kunsthaus, a major art museum in Zurich, said.
Geez. I guess there's something in the water, recently!
That's really sad. I love museums too. They weren't even subtle about it, according to the story... they just held up the security guards. And they got away with it. How pathetic. There isn't even a "How to Steal a Million" type story to go with it.
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Carrie: For me, it's like the families who have passed down medieval manuscripts of ancient texts and keep them - until some descendant needs money so they rip out a page and sell it.
People do that?!
That's insane! And a sacrilige against the written word!
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yeah, that is insane. It would make more financial sense to sell the whole thing and invest the proceeds. Investments in stocks tend to appreciate faster than inflation, investments in antiquities tend to appreciate slower.
Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Aren't most masterpieces displayed in museums actually reproductions? I thought they generally kept the originals locked up rather than actually on display, for preservation as well as protection.
If reproductions are good enough to fool all but the best experts (and sometimes even them), what is the real value of an original?
<edit> I made this comment based on a misreading of BB's comment. I think it's an interesting discussion, but completely irrelevant to anything written thus far in the thread. My point was perhaps art theft would be less attractive if we valued the expression of the art rather than the physical connection to the artist. My feelings are similar regarding autographs and celebrity memorabilia.</edit>
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
My recollection was several years ago I was researching buying a print or reproduction and stumbled across a summary of an LA museum's procedures for protecting its masterpiece collection.
I'm perfectly willing to be wrong.
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by SenojRetep: Aren't most masterpieces displayed in museums actually reproductions?
Nope.
Let me guess... did you just read And Only To Deceive, by Tasha Alexander?
I don't even know who Tasha Alexander is.
Honestly, my (evidently mistaken) belief may have more to do with National Treasure than anything else.
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by katharina: You're kidding, right?
I absolutely love museums, but this is like the drug trade. When there is black-market demand, some enterprising criminal will rise to satisfy it.
The problem is that some people with money are willing to hoard a work of art they can never display or share. It's so mind-bogglingly selfish.
Oh completely kidding, after visting the Vatican museum in Rome I think a part of it went with me, and I carry it in my soul everyday.
As for originals or reproductions being on display at museums, I am pretty sure the cistine chapel roof is the original not a reproduction. Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: after visting the Vatican museum in Rome I think a part of it went with me, and I carry it in my soul everyday.
As for originals or reproductions being on display at museums, I am pretty sure the cistine chapel roof is the original not a reproduction.
Really? I really disliked the Vatican museum. Maybe the time frame I went (early May) was too close to in season, but the place was packed. We filed in a line past all these pieces, and then were herded like cattle into a completely packed Sistine chapel. d'Uffizi in Florence was similar.
I had a much better experience in Paris at the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsee, and in Florence at the Medici gallery and the Accademia. But I think perhaps my favorite museum was the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
