Crimes of the Art World

by Thomas D. Bazley Ph.D.

Overview

This book offers a revealing look at the full scope of criminal activity in the art world—a category of crime that is far more pervasive than is generally realized.

Forgeries, fakes, fencing, and felony theft—all are pervasive problems in the world of art, where the stakes are high, the networks wide, and the consequences profound. In recent years, suspicious acquisitions, unreliable provenances, and shady dealers have found their way into the headlines as museums and private collections have been confronted with everything from fake pieces to stolen antiquities to plain old theft and vandalism. Crimes of the Art World captures the full scope of this staggeringly lucrative field of criminal conduct, showing how its impact reaches well beyond the walls of the museum.

Filled with fascinating stories of crime and greed, this revealing volume looks at case after case of thefts, forgeries, fakes, and illicit trafficking, as well as the political/religious victimization of art, white-collar art crime, and vandalism. The book examines each type of crime in terms of frequency, losses, and characteristics of victims and criminals. Concluding chapters focus on preventive measures, art crime investigation, and security issues.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313360473
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/26/2010
Pages:	230
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Thomas D. Bazley, PhD, is adjunct teacher at the University of South Florida, where he also received his degree in criminology.

Table of Contents

Boxes, Figures, and Tables
Preface
1 Art and Crime?
Two Intersecting Perspectives: Art and Criminology
Art: Why Is It Important? Why Is It Valuable?
Art Crimes
Case Studies
Art and Crime: In Summary
2 Art Theft
Theft Offenses Generally: Larceny, Burglary, and Robbery
Larceny, Burglary, and Robbery of Art: What Do We Know about These Crimes?
Art Theft: The Offenders
After the Theft: What Becomes of Stolen Art?
Art Theft: In Summary
3 Art Theft Continued: Selected Cases
1911: Theft of the World's Most Famous Painting
1967–1986: The Most Stolen Painting
1969: Church of San Lorenzo, Palermo, Italy
1972: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
1972: Musée de Bagnols-sur-Cèze, Gard, France
1974–2002: Russborough House, Ireland
1983: Burglars in Budapest
1983–1989: Thefts by Argentine Police Officers
1987: Nine Paintings Reported Missing from Dutch Gallery
1988: Daytime Theft in Berlin
1988: Van Goghs Stolen in Holland
1991: Van Gogh Museum Robbed
1993: Swedish Museum Theft
1994: Picassos Stolen in Switzerland
1995: Titian Stolen from English Estate
1998: Corot Painting Stolen at the Louvre
1998: Modern Art Stolen in Rome
2000: New Year's Burglary in Britain
2000: Fake Monet Delays Theft Report
2000: Armed Robbery at the National Museum in Stockholm
2001: $65 Million in Artworks Stolen from Home of Spanish Billionaire in Madrid
2002: Fake Sculpture Delays Theft Report
2002: Major Thefts in the Netherlands: Van Gogh and Hals Museums
2003: Vienna Museum Burglarized by Burglar Alarm Technician
2003: Da Vinci Stolen from Scottish Castle
2004: Valuable Paintings Stolen from a Hospital in Rome
2005: Museum Burglary Nets Paintings and Silver in Holland
2006: A Robbery in Rio during Carnival
2007: Picasso's Paintings Stolen from His Granddaughter
2007: Masked Gunmen Steal Four Paintings from a Museum in France
2007: Valuable Picasso Stolen in Museum Burglary in Brazil
2008: A Week of Major Thefts in Switzerland
2008: Armed Robbery of Sao Paulo Museum
2008: Daytime Residential Burglary in California Nets Millions
2008: Priceless Work by Goya Stolen in Colombia
2009: Church Burglary in Norway Nets Cranach Painting
2009: Theft at Picasso National Museum in Paris
4 Art Forgeries and Fakes
Theft versus Fraud
Forgery, Fakery, and Art Values
Forgery and Fakery: Antiquities
Forgery and Fakery: From the Renaissance to Modern Day
How Do They Do It? An Overview of Art Forgery Techniques
Distribution Networks: Marketing Forgeries and Fakes
Art Forgery and Fakery—In Summary
5 Art Theft and Destruction: The Perils of Wars and Civil/Religious Unrest
World War II: The Nazi Plunder of Art
World War II (Continued): Repatriating the Nazi Plunder
Art Plunder in Times of War and Civil/Religious Unrest: The Dawn of the 21st Century
6 Stealing the Past: The Looting of Cultural-Heritage Objects
The Theft of Cultural-Heritage Objects: The Scope of the Problem
Looting and Smuggling Networks
The Market for Looted Cultural-Heritage Objects: Museums and Collectors
Controlling the Looting of the World's Cultural Heritage: Issues and Policies
7 White-Collar Crime in the Art World
White-Collar Crime: What Is It?
White-Collar Crime in the Art World: How Big of a Problem?
8 Vandalism and Malicious Destruction
Destructive/Malicious Behavior
Art Vandalism/Destruction as a Form of Protest or Social Statement
Destroying Art for Profit
Vandalism/Malicious Destruction of Art: Disheartening, Disturbing, and Senseless
9 Responding to Art Crime
International Law Enforcement Coordination: The Roles of the United Nations, Interpol, and Other Worldwide Organizations
Art-Crime Enforcement in the United States
Art-Crime Enforcement Beyond the United States
Art-Crime Enforcement: Private-Sector Contributions
10 Security and Prevention: The Best Response to Art Crime
Protecting Art from Theft, Looting, and Vandalism
Forgeries, Fakes, and Counterfeits: Preventing Victimization and Deterring These Practices
Appendix A. Common Art-Object Categories: Definitions
Appendix B. Selected Art-Loss Databases
Selected Bibliography
Notes
Index