Résumé : “Little stories of art stolen into 50 works” returns to the great burglaries of museums, or private collections of the twentieth century, which led to the disappearance of historical paintings or sculptures.
Critique : Susie Hodge explores the history of the theft of works of art in the short century. His book is divided into two parts. The first, the longest, returns in seventeen chapters to the burglaries where the stolen canvases have never been found. The second has only seven games and recounts the rare cases where the police managed to get their hands on the paintings. It is frightening to discover that in only ten percent of this type, the disappeared parts rise to the surface. In the majority of cases, even the arrest of thieves do not change anything: there is no trace of stolen goods. And sometimes, the paintings are burned in order to erase the evidence, or the melted sculptures in order to be sold at the price of bronze for example.
Malfrats are often paid to steal such Van Gogh or Such Rembrandt. Other times, it is an opportunity action, following a faulty alarm, a lightning pensioner where thieves take the easiest works.
The lost parts are immediately identified on the register of stolen works, which allows to block their sales in the official circuit. But that does not change anything, the break-ins continue and master canvases disappear, perhaps forever …
- Landscape of Auvers-sur-Oise, Paulm Cézanne, 1879-1880-Heritage Image Partnership Ltd/Alamy
- Copyright Pyramyd 2025
This work is just as interesting by its subject as by its iconography. He offers beautiful images of paintings, but also photos of the places, people involved and sometimes even plans. All of these illustrations make it possible to make the names of paintings concrete that the general public does not necessarily know.
Each chapter also includes informative inserts on an artist, a work, a site … Readers will learn a lot about the art world and its drifts.
Susie Hodge knows how to maintain our attention over the pages in these often incredible adventures, where art is undermined for money or even to negotiate reductions of pain.
Small stories of art stolen into 50 works Presents the burglaries that led to the disappearance, and rare times to the restitution, of paintings, sculptures, vases and other unique objects in the history of humanity.
to have-alire.com, whose content is produced voluntarily by a non-profit cultural association, respects copyright and has always committed to being rigorous on this point, while respecting the work of artists that we are trying to value. The photos are used for illustrative purposes and not for the purpose of commercial exploitation. After several decades of existence, tens of thousands of articles, and an evolution of our team of editors, but also rights on certain shots taken up on our platform, we count on the benevolence and vigilance of each reader – anonymous, distributor, press secretary, artist, photographer. Have the kindness to contact Frédéric Michel, editor -in -chief, if some photographs are not or are no longer usable, if the credits must be modified or added. We are committed to withdrawing all disputed photos. Thank you for understanding.
