Correspondent Benjamin Wallace (Benjamin Wallace) made the pages of the online version of the Wall Street Journal overview of the new book on art crime "stealing Rembrandt» ("Stealing Rembrandts").

Miles J. Connor Jr. (Myles J. Connor Jr.) included in the Community Mensa - the organization that connects people with the highest IQ in the world. He collects samurai swords, keeps home cobra and said with stilted Boston accent. In 1975, Connor, dressed in a tweed jacket, felt hat and dark glasses, broad daylight out of the building of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, holding under his arm, Rembrandt, "Portrait of a girl in a cape trimmed with gold" ( 1632). His accomplice covered the retreat, threatening the guards gun. They managed to escape, they acted wisely, boldly, clearly and in style - as in our representation, and must operate the museum robbers, but as seldom happens in reality.

book "The Thief of Rembrandt" - is the story of modern art-theft crimes at the example works only one author. Rembrandt - the natural choice of clever strategist. Dutch master of the XVII century was an extremely prolific artist who left behind more than 2 Thousands of paintings, drawings and etchings. Some of his paintings go under the hammer at auction for tens of millions of dollars. And since Rembrandt was more economical and an artist, his works are usually small and easily transported. Therefore, works by Rembrandt are the most frequent target theft (more popular with thieves only by Picasso.) appears for the last hundred years, from museums and private collections have been kidnapped about 80 works by the great master.

The book includes a chapter on the famous "Portrait of Jacob de Gein III », which earned him the nickname" takeaway Rembrandt »(" Takeaway Rembrandt "), because in 1966, as many as four times against his will left the walls of the gallery Dalvichskoy in London. The book's authors, Anthony and Tom Mashberg Amor (Anthony Amore , Tom Mashberg) talk about an armed robbery in 1972, the museum in Worcester, where thieves have taken "The Portrait of St. Bartholomew", cause a very cinematic story of a robbery in Stockholm of 2000, when the criminals fled on a motor boat and set fire to cars in order to escape from his pursuers; describe secret operation to recover stolen "Self Portrait" in 1630.

When preparing materials the authors have interviewed many people. It helped them and what is the story of one of the robberies they know firsthand: Amor head protection Boston Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, from which in 1990 treacherously abducted 13 paintings, including three paintings by Rembrandt, as well as a reporter for Mashberg Boston Herald for 14 years following the developments around this still does not solve the crime.

E Munday, however, far from the upscale image of the offender, brilliantly created by Pierce Brosnan in the film" The Thomas Crown Affair "and, of course, most interested readers. Usually, the picture steal petty thieves, laborers, often suffering from drug addiction. Thus, the 21 - Carl Horsley summer (Carl E. Horsley) stolen in 1973, two small paintings by Rembrandt from the Museum of Taft in Cincinnati, leaving intact two hanging next to a much more valuable work. Vora detained, and he served three years for theft of paintings. Coming to freedom, this "criminal genius" soon caught again - this time for stealing candy and toothpaste from the store in Kentucky.

We might assume that the theft of works of art also requires creativity, but the authors book again and again prove how naive thieves. We learn that art crime is essentially meaningless when it comes to world-famous masterpieces - such work is resold, there is no possibility. Mashberg Amor and come to the conclusion that "Rembrandt's much easier to steal than to sell ».

authors finally dispel the romantic aura around the museum thefts. Thieves often crudely cut from their frames paintings, trying to" clean up "old masters, works of art kept in appalling conditions - in the trunk, in dank sheds and shacks are in plastic bags and hidden under the bed.

Interestingly, the successful robberies have much in common. In 80%of cases someone from the museum's staff is an accomplice of theft, attempt to commit, which is closer to the holidays or during festivals (eg, Gardner Museum was robbed after St. Patrick's Day). The chances of a long "career" is perhaps that those who specialized in etchings by Rembrandt and not encroach in his painting, let printed graphics are cheaper, but it still can be resold.

Finally mention another kind of art-crimes - theft for ransom. Rotate this exchange and not fall - a special art. Sometimes criminals are put forward a very original demands for the return of work. Already mentioned Miles Connor stole the painting by Rembrandt, and then helped get her back. During this period he has been reduced punishment for past crimes. At the same time Connor managed to conceal that the painting was them actually stolen.

Prepared by Mary Onuchina, AI

< strong> Sources : artinvestment.ru