Art Masterpieces Still Missing (Monet to Matisse)

Masterpiece paintings get stolen and many are never recovered. The recovery of Edvard Munch, "The Scream" and "Madonna" was accomplished with deductive skill and quite a bit of luck.

The FBI created the Art Theft Program (fbi.gov/hq/cid/arttheft.htm) to help museums and collectors around the world bring missing art home. Assistance was offered to any country attempting to recovery any artworks that were uniquely identifiable with historical or artistic significance (in Turkey it is a page from an ancient Koran). The item must be worth at least $2,000 unless it was associated with another major crime (such as murder). A request must be made by the relevant law enforcement agency.

In 2002 the FBI assisted Great Britain in the recovery of a Paul Cezanne painting. "The Studio" by Andrew Wyeth, stolen in 1967 was found by the Chicago FBI in 2001. A joint sting operation by Spanish authorities and the FBI returned a total of 10 paintings to their rightful owner. The paintings included works by Goya, De Haes and Pissarro with a total value of $50,000,000. A Renoir, "Young Parisian" and a Rembrandt, "Self Portrait" were recovered in Sweden in 2005. Along with paintings from numerous countries they have helped find sculptures, religious items, and books.

There are still many art masterpieces that seem to have vanished. Lost paintings have been found in some unusual places, behind washing machines and in boxes underneath beds. Some artwork can never be recovered. Stephane Breitwieser, a French waiter is credited with stealing approximately $1.4 billion in paintings and objects. Fearing the police were about to arrest her son, his mother chopped up numerous paintings and put them out with the trash. Other objects she tossed in a nearby canal. There are not always happy endings.

Here are five of the paintings that are on the FBIs Art Theft Program. There are many others.

Luxembourg Gardens, 1904, Henri Matisse (Picture #1 shown) --- In February 2006 at the Chacara do Ceu Museum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil security was forced to turn of the surveillance cameras. Using the cover of carnival celebrations four armed men made off with paintings by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Claude Monet during the robbery. The value of Luxembourg Gardens isnÍt estimated.

Madonna with the Yarnwinder, 1501, Leonardo da Vinci (Picture #2 shown) --- Disguised as tourists two men assaulted a tour guide and made off with the painting from Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries, Scotland, in 2003. Its current value is estimated at $65 million.

Pool in the Harem, 1876, Jean-Leon Gerome (Picture #3 shown) --- Displayed in the French wing of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia it was hanging near Manet, Picasso, Matisse, Monet and other priceless masterpieces. For some reason the thieves chose this particular work valued at only $1 million in 2001.

Beach in Pourville, 1882, Claude Monet (Picture #4 shown) --- September 2000 the Polish National Museum was startled to realize that what they thought was the Monet painting was actually a forgery done on cardboard. Thieves had cut the original out and replaced it. The exact date of the crime is not known. It is valued at $7 million.

Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence, 1608, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio --- Two thieves entered the Oratory of the Church of San Lorenzo, Palmero, Italy in 1969 and cut this painting from its frame. At nearly 9 feet by 7 feet it is one of the largest paintings ever taken. It was suspected stolen by the Sicilian Mafia. Current value of the artwork is $20 million.

Art theft is not pursued like other crimes. Even though the monetary values are very high on some artworks they are still "just paintings" to some law enforcement agencies. The majority of masterpieces have little or no insurance coverage. These are beautiful works by skilled artists and the world may never see them again.