I know this title sounds obvious, but it isn’t always (read: almost never) the case that people stealing art are actually doing it because they’re compelled by their love for that specific piece. This love is what lead Stéphane Breitwieser to become one of the world’s most consistent art thieves.

I think you’re going to be surprised when I show you this painting by Dutch old master Frans Hals which has been stolen not once, not twice, but three separate times.

The Art History Museum in Vienna, or the Kunsthistorisches Museum, is one of the most important art museums in the world and the largest one in Austria. However, as we now know, no matter the size or prestige of the museum it is not immune to robberies.

You’d think that the museum housing one of the most important art collections in South America would want to have a better security system but it seems like the Sao Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) made it pretty easy to make off with some treasures.

Activists have had the idea to target famous paintings, sculptures, and other works of art for decades. There are many famous examples of people trying to raise awareness for their causes by attacking artworks. Recently we’ve seen this same tactic being used around the world, let’s talk about it.

I’m sure there are a lot of da Vinci’s paintings that have been lost over the years but there is one notable work that people love to speculate about. Titled The Battle of Anghiari, could it still exist somewhere? Did it ever even get created? Let’s explore.

Today we’re not talking about a crime, strictly speaking, more that it’s always sad when artists decide to destroy their work, regardless of the reason. Let’s look into Monet’s reasons.

A Matisse painting stolen sometime before 2002, no one knows where it went or who is responsible. Then in 2012 an arrest is made but, here’s the kicker, to this day no one has been charged with actually stealing the painting.

The Thinker is easily Auguste Rodin’s most famous sculpture. It depicts a man sitting with his chin on his fist lost in thought, as the name would suggest. There is an enlarged cast of the original sculpture in Cleveland and it was this reproduction that was attacked one night in 1970. 

Honestly, this is a pretty interesting case. We have a heist called “the theft of the century” to talk about and then we can dive into a little more of what the police have found out and come all the way up to (almost) today and see where the pieces are now.

In 1973 in Cincinnati two Rembrandts were stolen. This may seem from the outset like a run-of-the-mill art heist but I promise you it is anything but. Buckle in for the twists and turns that come with this one.

I am excited to bring you something that is happening now and currently unfolding. The only downside is that I don’t have all the answers yet so we will all have to wait and see where this investigation goes. Basically, the FBI removed 25 Basquiat paintings on display in Orlando in June. But why?

A bit of a spoiler in the title but I’m excited to be able to deliver a happy ending for once. It’s also interesting to look at the work that goes into recovering a missing artwork and how much had to be done for the police, in this case, by passionate historians. 

The Nazca Lines are a series of giant geoglyphs found in the Peruvian coastal plain about 400km south of Lima. How were they created? Why were they created? Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 these giant creations are a mystery to researchers.

This is a bit of a rollercoaster. I am going to spoil it for you a little and tell you that the painting has been recovered but how was it able to be stolen and why is a nosey gas station attendant the key to the thief’s capture? I’ll tell you!

I know you’re thinking that this is a click bait title but I promise this is a real thing that art history scholars have been looking into. Spoiler, the world hasn’t ended but it’s interesting to examine the symbols and their meanings which lead to this conclusion.

Folk artist Maud Lewis from Nova Scotia didn’t get to enjoy fame or riches from her paintings during her lifetime. In the past few years, however, her work is gaining popularity and as the value of the pieces go up, sadly, so does the likelihood of theft.

For OG readers you’ll remember that one of the first posts ever was about the slashing of Newman’s Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow, and Blue III but he actually had two other instances of people attacking his works.

Being one of the most, if not the most, iconic painting in the world comes with a bit of a target for vandals and attackers. People think that attacking the Mona Lisa will bring attention to them and to their cause. Maybe that’s why it’s been targeted so many times.

Note that I said robberieS in the title, not just robbery. This painting by van Gogh has been stolen not once but twice from the same museum in Egypt. How was the painting recovered the first time and how was it allowed to be stolen again? Where is it now?