Masterpieces stolen from Parisian modern art museum. Organised? Yes. Subtle? No.
27 replies, posted
[quote]Five paintings by Picasso, Matisse and other great artists have been stolen from the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, French officials say.
The paintings are estimated to be worth just under 100m euros (£86m; $123m).
They were taken overnight on Wednesday and reported missing early on Thursday, officials say.
The museum, across the River Seine from the Eiffel Tower, has been cordoned off by investigators.
Continue reading the main story Picasso's Dove with Peas In pictures: Stolen Paris masterpieces
Security camera footage reportedly shows someone entering the museum through a window during the night.
"This is a serious crime to the heritage of humanity," Christophe Girard, deputy culture secretary at the Paris Town Hall, told a news conference.
The theft was committed by "one or more individuals who were obviously organised", Mr Girard said.
He added that investigators were looking into how the museum's security system and several guards were outsmarted by the thief or thieves.
Mr Girard put the value of the stolen paintings at just under 100m euros (£86m; $123m). They had earlier been estimated to be worth some 500m euros (£431m; $618m).
The five missing paintings are Dove with Green Peas by Pablo Picasso (painted in 1911), Pastoral by Henri Matisse (1906), Olive Tree near l'Estaque by Georges Braque (1906), Woman with Fan by Amedeo Modigliani (1919) and Still Life with Candlestick by Fernand Leger (1922).
Broken padlock
Museum officials discovered the theft early on Thursday, when they found a smashed window and a broken padlock which had been cut to gain access to the five paintings.
GREAT ART HEISTS
Continue reading the main story
[quote]* February 2008: Four paintings by Cezanne, Degas, Van Gogh and Monet are stolen from the EG Buehrle Collection, a private museum in Zurich. The Van Gogh and Monet paintings were recovered
* August 2004: Two paintings by Edvard Munch, The Scream and Madonna, are stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo. Recovered two years later
* April 1991: Twenty paintings are stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Found shortly afterwards in abandoned car nearby
* March 1990: Works by Vermeer, Rembrandt and Manet are stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Still lost[/quote]
It is still unclear why the alarm systems did not alert staff earlier, reports the BBC's David Chazan in Paris.
There has not been anything comparable since the 1990 theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston of a Vermeer, several Rembrandts, Degas and other masterpieces, says BBC Arts Correspondent David Sillito.
None of these works has yet been recovered.
Though there is often speculation that works have been "stolen to order" for dishonest collectors, experts in the field say that in reality this is very unusual.
Investigators think that international criminal gangs use art works effectively as a form of currency.
For criminals dealing in drugs or weapon, a rolled up painting is away of carrying very large amounts of "currency", even if it is one tenth of the value at auction, the BBC's arts correspondent adds.
The Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris, located in the east wing of the Palais de Tokyo building, is separate from the bigger and better-known national collection of modern art at the Pompidou Centre. [/quote]
[URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10130840.stm"]Source[/URl]
[URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10133746.stm"]The actual pictures.[/URL]
I wonder if they left any clues. The Pink Panther strikes again.
That's terrible! Those are wonderful paintings.
[QUOTE=Splurgy;22066298]That's terrible! Those are wonderful paintings.[/QUOTE]
Agreed, i'm gutted at the the loss of a Leger piece.
[QUOTE=windwakr;22066403][IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/47889000/jpg/_47889737_picasso_bridgeman_gallery.jpg[/IMG]
And nothing of value was lost.
"Dove with Green Peas".
Seriously, what the fuck is that supposed to be?
Looks like someone at some dove and green peas, puked it back out.[/QUOTE]
no, you're confusing it because of your ignorant bandwagon view of abstract art
that picture takes skill to make, it isn't random splatters all over the canvas
That painting looks awesome, almost 3D due to the shading.
[QUOTE=Egevened;22066443]now, you're confusing it because of your pretentious ignorant bandwagon view of abstract art
that picture takes skill to make, it isn't random splatters all over the canvas[/QUOTE]
That's the exact opposite of pretentious.
[QUOTE=windwakr;22066403][img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/47889000/jpg/_47889737_picasso_bridgeman_gallery.jpg[/img]
And nothing of value was lost.
"Dove with Green Peas".
Seriously, what the fuck is that supposed to be?
Looks like someone at some dove and green peas, then puked it back out.
None of those paintings look good to me.
[img_thumb]http://www.facepunch.com/ads/rating/cross.png[/img_thumb][/QUOTE]
Just because they don't look good to you doesn't mean they aren't absolutely amazing art. If you painted you could appreciate them.
Masterpieces i think not
[QUOTE=windwakr;22066403][img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/47889000/jpg/_47889737_picasso_bridgeman_gallery.jpg[/img]
And nothing of value was lost.
"Dove with Green Peas".
Seriously, what the fuck is that supposed to be?
Looks like someone at some dove and green peas, then puked it back out.
None of those paintings look good to me.
[/QUOTE]
Your taste's in your mouth.
[editline]07:56PM[/editline]
Admittedly the stolen Modigliani isn't his best, but it's important for art history.
[QUOTE=Mingebox;22066502]That's the exact opposite of pretentious.[/QUOTE]
he's speaking of art as if he knew anything about it, that's pretentious to me
[QUOTE=windwakr;22066403][img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/47889000/jpg/_47889737_picasso_bridgeman_gallery.jpg[/img]
And nothing of value was lost.
"Dove with Green Peas".
Seriously, what the fuck is that supposed to be?
Looks like someone at some dove and green peas, then puked it back out.
None of those paintings look good to me.
[img_thumb]http://www.facepunch.com/ads/rating/cross.png[/img_thumb][/QUOTE]
Shame you can't see the technical mastery behind that piece.
Modern art is bullshit anyway, doesn't make any sense.
[QUOTE=evilweazel;22066824]Modern art is bullshit anyway, doesn't make any sense.[/QUOTE]
It doesn't have to
In all honesty... Not really art in my opinion. It really does look like something I would do finger-painting in kindergarten.
[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;22067132]In all honesty... Not really art in my opinion. It really does look like something I would do finger-painting in kindergarten.[/QUOTE]
If you could I'd be impressed.
The Cafe Picture probably not. The other ones though... God damn those look liked smeared shits.
[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;22067132]In all honesty... Not really art in my opinion. It really does look like something I would do finger-painting in kindergarten.[/QUOTE]
That is art...
So is fingerpainting.
:rolleyes:
[QUOTE=Quo Vadi;22066855]It doesn't have to[/QUOTE]
Not in the good way either it's all just HURRRRRRRRR DURRRRRR PURPEL SQUARE ON GREN TRIANGEL DUR
I find art useless so I don't honestly care. I'm just wondering if they'll get them back.
[QUOTE=Fables;22067491]I find art useless so I don't honestly care. I'm just wondering if they'll get them back.[/QUOTE]
how is art useless? art in general is a very important part of why we are at a stage we are today
and i don't mean bullshit stuff like overexplaining things and forcefully looking for methaphors in a picture, i mean the fact that it's by far the most amazing expression of human ingeniunity that led us to many advancements both technically and mentally
[img]http://www.leonardo-da-vinci-biography.com/images/da-vinci-helicopter.jpg[/img]
Man, there must be more to it than someone cutting a lock and going through a window.
[QUOTE=windwakr;22066403][IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/47889000/jpg/_47889737_picasso_bridgeman_gallery.jpg[/IMG]
And nothing of value was lost.
"Dove with Green Peas".
Seriously, what the fuck is that supposed to be?
Looks like someone ate some dove and green peas, then puked it back out.
None of those paintings look good to me.
[img_thumb]http://www.facepunch.com/ads/rating/cross.png[/img_thumb][/QUOTE]
Obvious troll is obvious.
0/10, get out.
Although I'm an avid drawer, sometimes I wonder what goes through people's minds when they throw blotches of paint on a canvas. Some abstract paintings I understand. Even though its confusing there are recognizable themes. When its a painting like "blue on blue" I just don't get it.
What's worse are those people who sell baby paintings for $10,000 because they're abstract.
Reminds me of the Thomas Crown Affair
[QUOTE=windwakr;22067770]No seriously, the stolen art was trash. Most art is trash. I'm just stating my opinion.....you don't have to call me a troll. You big meanie! :'([/QUOTE]
You didn't really express your opinion in a very intelligent way, thus one could mistake you for a troll.
[QUOTE=windwakr;22067770]No seriously, the stolen art was trash. Most art is trash. I'm just stating my opinion.....you don't have to call me a troll. You big meanie! :'([/QUOTE]
[img]http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/6339/1263078992141j.png[/img]
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