Home

Hours & Location

New at the Gallery

Artwork for Sale

Framing services

Art Restoration

Other Services

Upcoming Events

Fun Stuff, Etc.

Links

ART WORLD NEWS
...brought to you by CHLOE!

DA VINCI FINGERPRINT MAY YIELD CLUES
1/07

Italian anthropologists have recently announced that they have assembled a complete da Vinci fingerprint.  The print, from the master's left index finger, could help in authenticating documents believed to have been penned by the artist.  Also, some scientists are of the opinion that saliva and blood traces may be extractable from some his known fingerprints as well.  This would be of particular help in determining biological origins; speculation has existed for some time that his mother may have been Arabic.  Maybe they can get the lab teams from CSI to get cracking on this!

A PAGE FROM THE MARTIN CREED PLAYBOOK
11/06

 Back in 2002, "artist" Martin Creed won the coveted Turner Prize for his Tate Gallery work, which was an empty room in which the lights turned on and off every 5 seconds.  Apparently knowing a good thing when they see one, the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, Wales has picked up the ball and run with it.  In the Centre's latest exhibit, "Gallery Space Recall", visitors find an empty room and are asked to mentally provide the art by visualizing works from other art exhibitions that they have seen.  According to one "exhibitor", this creates "reduplicative paramnesia", which is the delusion that something is in two places at once.  In my opinion, the real delusion is on the part of the Arts Centre directors in thinking that they are presenting something worthwhile.  For the record, guys, there are a lot of really good artists who deserve to have their works shown and stupid gimmicks like this don't help the situation.  But, there is good news: they just saved a bunch of money on their art insurance by switching to blank walls!

GOYA STOLEN EN ROUTE FROM TOLEDO, OHIO
8/06

A large Goya painting measuring 3' by 5' has been stolen while en route from Toledo, Ohio to the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.  The work, "Children with a Cart", was painted in 1778 and was to be the model for tapestries.  The work was stolen in the Scranton, PA area and appears to have been the work of professionals.  A reward of $50,000 has been offered and the FBI is investigating.  Anyone with information is urged to call the FBI at 215-418-4000.

NOTE: THIS ITEM HAS BEEN RECOVERED!  FBI has not released any details as of yet on the recovery and whodunnit.

19th CENTURY OHIO DRAWING STOLEN
8/06

 A large drawing by Ohio artist Ferdinand Brader was recently stolen on August 2nd.  The work measures 3' x 4' and depicts the Simon P. Myers farm.  Brader was an itinerate artist who produced almost a thousand drawings in the late 19th century.  The work in question is inscribed, "Simon P. Myers Farm, Springfield Tp., Summit Co., OH.  When stolen , the drawing was under glass in a wood frame and covered in back with thin wood panels.  If anyone sees the work, please contact Officer Sheila Church of the Springfield Police Dept. at (330) 784-1609, ext. 3160.

CHIHULY LEGAL BATTLE ESCALATES
7/06

 Earlier this year, Dale Chihuly sued two former employees and four galleries for allegedly selling knockoffs of his work.  The two ex-employees, one a former glass blower for Chihuly, have in turn countersued Chihuly.  Bryan Rubino, the glassblower, has counterclaimed that Chihuly is trying to essentially copyright any art glass that is both asymmetrical and colorful.  The other former employee, broker Robert Kaindl, has filed a second counterclaim that alleges Chihuly has had essentially no hand in the creation or even signing of a "substantial number" of glass pieces that bear the Chihuly name.

 Personally, I have always wondered how Chihuly pieces are considered "Chihulys" given that Dale  Chihuly has no physical hand in their creation.  Perhaps this court challenge will finally set some of these issues to rest.

REPEAT OFFENDER
6/06

 For those of you who revel (as I do) in the more unsavory shenanigans of the art world, you will perhaps remember from the year 2000 Marilyn Karos and case of the stolen astrolabes.  Hmmm, wasn't that a Sherlock Holmes adventure?  O.K., just kidding on the last part but you perhaps will remember Marilyn.  She was a well-to-do Milwaukee-area art dealer who was sentenced to a seven-month prison term for her role in a case involving early navigational instruments looted in the 1980's from a Roman museum.  The deal fell apart when a Libyan involved in the scheme betrayed Karos to the authorities and Marilyn in turn had an accomplice beat the man with a baseball bat.  And you, dear reader, thought the art world was such a gentle place!

By her own admission, Ms. Karos began hatching a new scheme shortly after serving her original sentence.  This time, she partnered with a fellow named Majed Ihmoud to doctor up a print of Rembrandt's famous "Man with the Golden Helmet" and peddle it as a lost masterpiece.  Mr. Ihmoud apparently posed as a Saudi sheik, complete with robes and turban, and Marilyn cobbled together false provenance and a fake bill of sale.  The good news for them:  they sold the print for $2.8 million.  The bad news for them: they sold it to undercover FBI agents.  Ms. Karos, now 65 years old, will be serving a year and a day in the Federal pen and her accomplice will be going up the river as well.  They also apparently had been working with a painter in St. Louis on a forgery of the Van Gogh's famous Vase with Gladiolas.

Two things: will SOMEONE in the judicial system take art fraud seriously and stop handing down these ridiculously light sentences that clearly do nothing to discourage repeat offenders?  And secondly, advice to would-be forgers:  if you are going to try this sort of scam (and please don't), do NOT pick one of the world's most famous paintings if you want to get away with something.  I remember seeing pictures of Man with the Golden Helmet in high school, for cryin' out loud, and that was a time when my idea of fine art was black-light posters of Jimi Hendrix and Grand Funk Railroad.  Sheesh! 

EARLY FRESCOES UNEARTHED IN ITALY
6/06

According to press reports, a significant archeological find has been made near Veio, Italy.  Dubbed "The Tomb of the Roaring Lions", the site is apparently the tomb of a Etruscan warrior prince and dates to 690 B.C.E.  It is believed to be the earliest example of funerary decoration, even pre-dating the 6th century B.C.E. tomb murals found in Turkey.   Looters apparently had visited the tomb prior to the discovery by the archeologists but missed some important items, including decorated vases and a bronze chariot.   Italian cultural authorities are believed to have been tipped off to the tomb's existence by a man currently in custody for trafficking in looted antiquities. Veio was a wealthy rival of Rome until Roman legions overran it in 396 B.C.E.. 

ALTMANN CASHES IN ON A KLIMT
6/06

In the article below, we detailed the saga of Maria Altmann and her seven-year legal fight to recover five works by Gustav Klimt, including the famous Adele Bloch-Bauer I.  Ms. Altmann lost possession of the works when the Nazis took over Austria.  Apparently, it was well worth the struggle: Adele has reportedly been sold for $135 million dollars!  The work will apparently be heading to the Neue Gallery in New York, a museum dedicated to Austrian and German Art.   As the saying goes, "some things are clearly worth fighting for."  Clearly, indeed.

KLIMT PAINTINGS GOING HOME AT LAST
2/06

A seven-year legal fight has finally ended between Austria and the descendant of a Jewish family whose paintings were plundered by Nazis in World War II.  The paintings in question were five works by Gustav Klimt and include the famous Adele Bloch-Bauer I.  The paintings had hung for decades in Vienna's Belvedere Castle and were considered to be national treasures.  The estimated value is $300 million dollars, a sum that Austria decided that they could not come up with to retain ownership.  In recent years, Austria has returned an estimated 5000 such plundered works to rightful owners.  It is part of a positive trend that other European countries have joined in as well.  The Klimt paintings have been awarded to Maria Altmann of Beverly Hills, who lost possession of the works when the Nazis took over Austria. 

INDICTMENTS MADE IN THEFT OF MUNCH'S THE SCREAM
2/06

According to press reports, Norwegian prosecutors have indicted six people in the stunning daylight theft of Edvard Munch's works, "The Scream" and "Madonna".  The works were taken in August 2004 and have never been recovered.  The defendants were not named but will go on trial this month, with five people charged of theft and one person accused of receiving stolen property.  The paintings are considered largely unsellable on the open market due to their fame but a substantial reward offer has nonetheless yielded no takers to date.

WASHINGTON STATE IMPOSING ART "USE" TAX
7/05

One of the great truisms in life is that government at all levels can come up with a limitless supply of nutty ways to boost tax revenue.  Since "spend less" rarely seems to be a consideration, we instead get policies like the one Washington State is currently embarking on.  The policy in question is an art "use" tax, which is being imposed on out-of-state art purchases on which no sales tax was collected.  The tax could range as high as 8.8 percent in Seattle and state officials are promising to "aggressively enforce" the collection of the tax.  Such enforcement action may include dispatching agents to art exhibitions in order to ferret out sellers in possible violation of the tax law.  As critics have pointed out, downsides include yet less money in people's pocket and a possible reluctance of art owners to lend their works for display.  Trust me, Washington, if you have have the money to send out tax agents to art shows, you have plenty of cutting left to do in your state budget before hounding people with yet another goofy tax scheme. 

FABERGE EGG MAY BE A FAKE
5/05

According to St. Petersburg, Russia jewelry expert Valentin Skurlov, one of the 15 world-famous Faberge eggs from the Malcolm Forbes collection is a fake.  Known as the "Spring Flowers" egg and purchased in 2004 by Russian oil tycoon Viktor Vekselberg, the egg displays "at least 10 signs" that it is not the work of Faberge, according to Skurlov.  The egg was originally purchased in a private deal with Sotheby's and it should be noted that Skurlov is a part-time expert for rival Christie's.  Still, Skurlov has pointed out that the egg first appeared on the market in 1961 without provenance and said documents from 1917 mention the egg as being of silver and decorated with a sapphire.  Vekselberg's egg is gold and has no sapphire.  Weighing in on Skurlov's corner is Tatyana Faberge, the famed jeweler's granddaughter, who has also expressed doubts about the egg's authenticity.  The egg is currently on display in the Hermitage and may be subjected to an "official analysis", says Vekselberg spokesman Andrei Shtorkh.  Vekselberg, to his considerable credit, has been spending millions to purchase and repatriate cultural items to Russia.  

VERMEER WORK BRINGS $30 MILLION AT AUCTION
7/04

It may not have been Girl With a Pearl Earring but it was close enough.  A work that had taken eleven years to be authenticated as a Vermeer recently hammered down at Sotheby's for a whopping $30 million.  The work, Girl Seated at the Virginalis, was considered to be the last authenticated Vermeer in private hands, which may have added fuel to the bidding fire.  No word yet on who the winner was but speculation has it that the new owner is Steve Wynn, owner of the famous Bellagio Casino.  Many of Mr. Wynn's other acquisitions can be seen on display at the Bellagio and those of you who saw the movie Ocean's Eleven will remember the art gallery as well.  Although it has been done with little fanfare, Mr. Wynn is amassing what will probably become one of the most important private collections of the 21st century.
 

CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART ACQUIRES RARE STATUE
7/04

The Cleveland Museum of Art has acquired an extremely rare statue of the Greek god Apollo.  The work is bronze, and copper with stone inlay and was made around the second half of the fourth century B.C.  The statue, officially known as Apollo Sauroktonos (Lizard Slayer), is attributed to the sculptor Praxiteles, who made the famous Aphrodite of Cnidus.  Although the Cleveland Museum's statue is incomplete, experts consider it to be one of the most significant acquisitions of Greek sculpture by a Western museum since World War II.  If the work is indeed by Praxiteles, it would possibly be the only surviving work in existence produced by the master's workshop.
 

MANHATTAN DEALERS INDICTED IN FRAUD CASE
06/04

The owner of Manhattan art gallery Exclusive Art and the gallery's manager have both been indicted on conspiracy charges related to the forgery of prominent paintings.  The owner, identified as Ely Sakhai, was also charged with mail fraud and wire fraud.  According to court papers, the charges stem from one of the oldest scams around: valuable paintings were purchased, high quality forgeries were made of the works, and the forgeries then sold to unsuspecting collectors.  The originals were later disposed of quietly at auction sales, etc.  The alleged scheme came to light in a case of unbelievably bad timing for Exclusive Art.  A forgery made of a Gaugin work and sold to a collector in 1997 was consigned to Christie's May 2000 auction, the exact same month that Sakhai decided to consign the original to Sotheby's.  The duplication naturally came to light, the forgery was discovered, and things went south for Exclusive Art shortly thereafter.  In addition to the charges filed, prosecutors are indicating that they will try to have the two dealers forfeit over $7 million dollars in ill-gotten profits.  

XENIA, OHIO EXPERIENCING RASH OF GARDEN ORNAMENT THEFTS
03/04

According to recent reports, the town of Xenia , OH is being targeted by thieves prowling for antique garden ornaments.  Having once had a 150 lb. flower urn stolen from in front of the gallery (it was bolted into the sidewalk, for Pete's sake!), I have special empathy for the victims.  Taken on Dec. 16th in Xenia were an antique jockey hitching post and urn, both of which were bolted in concrete.  The hitching post had been in the family since 1868, according to Antique Week, and the urn was made in Dayton by Kramer Bros.  

Taken in late January was a large urn that had been converted into a fountain.   A witness reported seeing two men wearing ski masks loading the fountain into a green pickup.  Presumably, these thugs were the same ones that struck the previous month.  Anyone with information regarding the thefts should contact the Xenia Police Dept. at 937-376-7220.  

HOORAY FOR RON VAN ANDA

2/04

Three cheers for Pennsylvania dealer Ron Van Anda!  I have never met this man but I would love to shake his hand, and here's why:  last October Mr. Van Anda, along with a number of other dealers, fell victim to two men who kited checks to the tune of $100,000 at the Atlantique City show in New Jersey.  Fast forward to Jan. 18, 2004, where Van Anda is doing a gun show in Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel.  Who did he recognize scouting out items on his table?  None other than one of the two suspects who stung him at Atlantique City!  Thinking fast, Van Anda grabbed the guy and, with the help of a fellow dealer (a retired cop) called for hotel security.  The crook's partner then jumped into the fray and he, too, was subdued by dealers until the Las Vegas police arrived.  At last word, the FBI was involved and had found outstanding warrants from numerous different states for the pair.  And, if Nevada isn't one of them, it probably will be soon.  When asked for ideas about a possible reward, Van Anda supposedly suggested free both rent for life at the Atlantique City show. And you know what?  I sure hope he gets it.

Here's a tip, by the way, for any would-be crooks like the ones mentioned above: don't mess with gun dealers.  From my own observations, they tend to be a different breed than the dealers at your average local antique show.  Not to say they are bad, mind you, just cut from a bit tougher cloth.  The Atlantique City check bouncers found that out the hard way, and good riddance to them.

TAGGERS BEWARE!
6/03

If you think high-tech snooping is just for "homeland defense", think again.  A Los Angeles company has developed a satellite-and-sensor system designed to put the clamps on pesky graffiti artists.  According to press reports, the system employs GPS satellites, wireless telecom equipment and - get this- sensors that detect the ultrasonic sound signature of paint spray cans!  Apparently, the system has already been tested in a number of California cities and has met with success.  

SCARY ART IN NEW YORK
2/03

According to Art Business News, an art student at the School of Visual Arts in NYC was recently arrested for sharing an art project with the public.  The reason was that his project consisted of 37 black boxes with the word "fear" on them , which the artist scattered throughout Union Station.  Predictably, this set off a terrorism panic and caused the police to shut down the station and bring in the bomb squad.  The DA's office apparently will charge the student with reckless endangerment but no word yet on what grade the student received for his project.

FREEZE!  D.C. GALLERY POLICE!
9/02

Washington D.C., which is sadly one of the most crime-ridden cities in America, has decided that a new threat is looming that must be dealt with.  Namely, art galleries serving wine.  Yes, according to Antique Week, the city's government has sent letters warning gallery owners with "imprisonment and/or monetary fines" if they serve wine at art openings without a license. Conveniently, however, these good-for-one-evening licenses can be purchased for $100 a pop.  Personally, this sounds like a shake-down to me.  And, what really worries me, is that this brainwave may get passed along at the next big-city mayor's convention.  Cities across America seem to be grasping at revenue-enhancing ideas (except spending less... notice that is never an option!) and who knows where this dumb idea may surface next.  Stay tuned.

FROM BAD TO WORSE
08/02

The saga of art and antiques thief Stephane Breitwieser has just taken an ugly turn.  Presently in custody, Breitweiser is believed to have perpetrated a six-year spree of Old Master art thefts, including important works by Watteau and Breughel.  Here is where it gets really ugly:  Breitweiser's mother has confessed to French police that in order to hide the evidence of her son's activities, she cut the paintings into small pieces and threw them in the trash!  Estimates are that about $1.4 billion - yes, billion - worth of art was lost.  If there is such a thing as pathological stupidity, this woman apparently has a terminal case of it.

UFFIZI GALLERY GETS A SURPRISE
8/08/02

...and not a nice surprise, either.  Art analyst Maurizio Seracini, brought in to settle a rancorous debate over da Vinci's unfinished masterpiece, "The Adoration of the Magi", found that the piece was more than just unfinished.  Based on his x-ray analysis, he determined that except for the colored underdrawing, da Vinci did none of the actual painting!  Further, the unknown artist  who later painted over the piece didn't closely adhere to da Vinci's original sketch.  The painting has long been considered to be one of Italy's most significant art treasures, although this is may now change.  

GREEK STATUARY MASTERPIECE FOUND
5/15/02

According to wire reports, German archeologists have uncovered another work by an as-yet unidentified Greek master sculptor.  The statue, that of a young man, bears the hallmarks of other works by the sculptor known only as Dipylos, a name taken from the Greek neighborhood where his works are found.  The statue dates from 900-510 B.C. and was found near the Sacred gate in Athens.  Other pieces found include two lion sculptures and a sphinx.

EVERYONE'S A CRITIC
4/10/02

According to press reports, a 52-year old grandmother has been banned for life from the Tate Gallery for throwing eggs.  The object of her wrath was the product of 33-year old "artist" Martin Creed, who recently won the prestigious Turner Prize.  The award, presented by none other than Madonna (I am not making this up), was for Mr. Martin's entry consisting of an empty room with lights that flicker on and off every 5 seconds.  This probably represents some sort of milestone in the art world  but I am not sure exactly what for.

STOLEN CHAGALL RECOVERED IN KANSAS MAILROOM
3/06/02

Late last year, we reported on a Chagall work stolen from an exhibit at the Jewish Museum in New York City (see item below dated 12/03/01).  In a bizarre ending to the matter, the painting - valued at $1 million -  turned up in a Topeka, Kansas mailroom earlier this year.  The FBI has custody at the moment while their investigation continues. The work has been pronounced genuine by Bella Meyer, a Chagall grandaughter and well-known authority on the artist's work.  The painting was apparently discovered when a package, declared "undeliverable", was opened at the Topeka facility. 

MODIGLIANI PROJECT SCRAPPED
3/03/02

Art scholar Marc Restellini has reportedly thrown in the towel on his Modigliani catalog raisonne project for the Wildenstein Institute.  The reason:  pressure and even death threats from art collectors terrified their works will be discredited.  Restellini, who has spent 6 years on the project, found that large numbers of fake Modiglianis abound.  How large?  According to Restellini, the ratio is an amazing one in nine paintings and one in four drawings.  A telephoned death threat was the final straw that convinced Mr. Restellini to abandon the catalog.

ART AND ROMANCE
1/15/02

According to Art Business News, a recent study by the Roman Inst. of Psychology discovered that 20 percent of Italians have had an "erotic adventure" in a museum.  In fact, the study found that museums actually outdistanced nightclubs (18%) and ranked behind only trains (22%) and beaches (43%).  The reason, according to the study, is the "Reubens Syndrome", which postulates that works such as sensuous Old Master nudes and Greek sculpture activate an erotic response in many viewers.   One wonders whether the results of this study will increase job applicants for monitoring the museum security cameras.

BUT IS IT ART?
1/15/02

Late last year, Emmanuel Asare, a custodian at the Eyesto'rm Gallery (yes, that's how it is spelled) added to the dust bin a large pile of soda cans, full ashtrays, beer bottles, and other debris.  Whoops!  Turns out this pile of trash was in fact an art installation by Damien Hirst, valued at over $12000.  The gallery dutifully dug out the trash and reassembled it, adding a "keep off" sign as well.  According to Mr. Asare, "it didn't look much like art to me".  Give that man a cigar for speaking  the truth and, Mr. Asarte, keep sticking with your gut instincts.  Personally, I think you are right on the money.

ART HOSTAGE
12/03/01

As if things weren't already screwed up enough in the Middle East,  a Chagall work has now been turned into a political hostage.  The work, "Study for 'Over Vitebsk' ", was stolen recently from a show at the Jewish Museum.  Museum officials say that a letter has been received from an outfit calling themselves "The International Committee for Art and Peace" announcing that Israeli-Palestinian peace must be achieved before the work will be returned.  The letter is apparently serious, say the authorities.  Unfortunately, if history is any guide, it will probably  be a very long time before the public sees this work hanging again. 

LEIGHTON PORTRAIT SURFACES
11/21/01

A long-missing portrait by Frederick Lord Leighton has surfaced in Indiana, according to AntiqueWeek newspaper.  The painting, titled "The Misses Stewart Hodgson" was last seen in 1964, when it was sold at Sotheby's as part of the Lady Campbell collection.  It eventually went to a private collector in the U.S. and then to Mildred Boink of Evansville, Indiana who bought it in 1970 for about $400.  Boink was a life-long collector who, although of limited means, nevertheless accumulated many good pieces.  The painting is considered an important work by the artist and will be sold at Sotheby's in London on Nov. 29.  The estimate is $200,000 to $300,000, which should make Mildred's heirs very happy indeed.

AIRPORT MURAL IN L.A. DRAWS COMPLAINTS
10/17/01

A granite mural installed in the floor of the Los Angeles International Airport is apparently drawing complaints from travelers and airport staff alike.  The mural depicts nude men leaping skyward and according to artist Susan Narduli, is intended to express "early man's desire to fly".   Despite the complaints, the mural will stay, says the city's Cultural Affairs Commission.   If nothing else, the mural will probably make waiting in line for security checks more interesting, particularly for passengers traveling with small children.

ANCIENT CAVE ART DISCOVERY IN FRANCE HAS SLIGHT CATCH
9/25/01

Archeologists in France are delighted with their recent discovery of important early cave engravings.  The works are estimated to be some 28,000 years old and may be the most important discovery in Europe.  No doubt not so thrilling to the French, however, is the fact that the cave property is actually owned by the British.  Several years ago, an English couple purchased the property for just over 100,000 pounds for a second home, not knowing of the existence of the caves.  Estimates of value are now in the millions of pounds, proving once again that real estate is a good investment.  

FRANS HALS WORK STOLEN BY NAZIS CREATES TANGLED SITUATION
8/20/01

Artwork pillaged by the Nazis in WW II has been a recent focus in many countries.  While laudable, this focus has also created a tangled situation involving Old Master art dealer Adam Williams of New York.  In 1989, Williams purchased Hals' Portrait of the Pastor Adrianus Tegularius in good faith from Christie's in London.   The picture had changed hands several times before being offered for at Christies and Williams, bidding on behalf of Newhouse Galleries, apparently made the reasonable assumption that title to the painting was undisputed.  In fact, the painting had been taken by the French, and later the Nazis, from the collection of Jewish businessman Adolphe Schloss.  Williams offered the painting for sale in 1990 at the Paris Biennale, where is was recognized by a relative of Schloss.  Williams was arrested and the painting seized by French authorities.  The entire case was subsequently thrown out twice by French courts but the French government persisted and finally won a conviction, with Williams receiving an 8 month suspended sentence.  Williams plans to appeal and more power to him, I say.  

My first take on this is that only in France would something this nutty have gotten so far.  The painting had changed hands several times after the war and it certainly seems reasonable to assume the auction house would do the necessary research  on provenance before offering the work.  While I applaud the effort to return looted works to their original owners, this sort of persecution of a blameless dealer is probably not the way to go about it.  Essentially, it is "musical chairs", with whomever happens to be in possession of a suddenly questionable work heading for prosecution when the music stops.  Rather than encourage the return of such works, it seems to me that such tactics will simply encourage dealers and collectors to keep mum about any works that might have even remotely questionable histories rather than risk possible legal trouble.  The end result will be fewer works returned to their rightful owners, contrary to the law's intention.

DURER, REMBRANDT WORKS HEADED HOME
8/2/01

According to press wire reports, two drawings by Durer and one drawing by Rembrandt are being returned to the Bremen Museum in Germany.  Their saga is the stuff of mystery novels:  all three works were taken from the museum and hidden in a German castle during World War II, where they were found and taken by Soviet troops.  The works then fell into the hands of the KGB, and were eventually turned over to the Baku Museum in Azerbaijan.  From there, they were stolen once again and ultimately wound up in the hands of a Japanese wrestler who was trying to raise money for a kidney transplant.  Whew!  Now that's a journey.  The works were formally returned in a ceremony at the U.S. Customs Office and are slated to be back on display soon in the Bremen Museum.

  WYETH WATERCOLOR STOLEN IN 1967 SURFACES
7/27/01

A spectacular large watercolor landscape by Andrew Wyeth is the focus of a brewing legal battle.  The work, valued at over half a million dollars, was stolen from the Sears Vincent Price Gallery in Chicago in 1967.  The painting stayed missing until December of last year, when it was consigned to Christie's by a former Chicago-area sheriff's deputy.  Christie's did their homework and learned that the piece was indeed stolen merchandise.  The FBI now has custody of the work and a civil suit has been filed to determine the real ownership.  Through his attorney, the former deputy says he bought antiques from "hundreds and hundreds" of sales over the past ten years and can't recall who sold the piece to him.   Personally, I think I would clearly remember buying a 36" x 40" Andrew Wyeth, but  when the legal winds began to blow, memories do have a tendency to get a bit fuzzy.  Stay tuned on this one.

ERTE JEWELS GO MISSING
7/25/01

According to press accounts, some 15 pieces of jewelry by Erte were purloined during shipment to a major exhibit in Rome.  Known as a master of the art deco era, Erte's work is being showcased in a major exhibit at the Museo del Corso.  The 15 missing pieces were part of a shipment of 26 lent to the exhibit by various private owners.  The pieces appear to have vanished in transit, although why only some - and not all- were taken is a question the Italian authorities will certainly want to be asking themselves.   Pieces known to be missing include Foxes, a gold necklace with diamond-encrusted fox heads, as well as various earrings, pins, and rings.  

BUSTED!
5/01

A major stolen historical document was recovered recently when authorities bagged Marshall Pierce III, a.k.a. "Frederick Tomcezac" and John William Rooney, Jr. in Monteagle, Tennessee.  The document was no less than the 1814 Treaty of Fontainbleu, which was pilfered from the French National Archives.  The treaty, as you may recall from your college history courses, was the one in which Napoleon renounced his claim to the Empire and agreed to move to less lofty quarters on the island of Elba.  Permanently.  

Rooney has been charged with this and the theft of 30 other historical documents from France and could be looking at some serious jail time and fines if convicted.  Ditto for Pierce, who along with Rooney consigned the treaty to Sotheby's in 1996 (as if they need more headaches).  Tip to would-be thieves: putting famous stolen items in major public auctions is not a real bright move.

THE O'KEEFE PLOT THICKENS!
5/01

Art news hounds will recall the brou-ha-ha last year regarding the group of alleged Georgia O'Keefe watercolors known as the "Canyon Suite".  Originally purchased by art dealer Gerald Peters for over $1 million, the works were re-sold later for $5 million to museum owner R. Crosby Kemper.  In 1999, doubt on the authenticity of the works was cast by the National Gallery and the works were repurchased by Peters.  

Now, a Santa Fe artist's claim that he in fact painted the works has been recognized by the U.S. Copyright Office.  Jacobo Suazo, a protégé of O'Keefe  who lived with the artist part-time in the 1940's and 1950's, has been awarded the copyright to 16 of the 28 watercolors in the suite.  The Copyright office has recognized him as the sole creator of 3 of the works and a collaborator with O'Keefe on 13 others.  The ruling by the office is classified as "adverse", however, which means heirs of O'Keefe can come forth and claim copyright on the images as well.  That being the case, it is probably a safe bet that we haven't seen the last chapter in this unusual saga by a long shot.

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT
3/01

According to Harvard neuroscientist Dr. Margaret Livingston, the Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile is in fact an optical illusion.  If one looks at the eyes of the sitter (that's Lisa), one sees the smile.  Look at the mouth only and you don't.  According to the good doctor, it all rests with the  way in which the human eye is constructed and has to do with central and peripheral vision areas.  Personally, I wouldn't know.  When I was at the Louvre, the Mona Lisa was constantly surrounded by herds of Asian tourists and I never got near the bloody thing.  Maybe someone else can take a peek at the painting and let me know if this is for real.

UNHAND THAT ARTIFACT!
3/01

According to the British Museum, a marble hand has been purloined from a 2400-year-old Greek relief.   The theft actually happened in November but the museum has 'fessed up about it only now.  A spokesman for the museum opined that the theft was probably a prank or vandalism, and not any sort of planned art theft.  Greece, which has had a long-running conflict with the Museum over its refusal to return the Elgin Marbles, immediately jumped into the fray, claiming that the theft of the hand proves that Greek artifacts are no safer in British Museums than those of Greece.  Greek culture minister Evangelos Venizelos went on to say that the theft will "perhaps ... make everyone rethink their position over the return of the Parthenon (Elgin) marbles."

My guess is that one shouldn't hold their breath on that happening anytime soon.  Still, there is perhaps some irony in the theft, in that the relief itself was looted from Greece by Britain in 1814.  

STATUE WRECKER GETS SLAP ON THE WRIST
3/01

Primus St. Croix, an immigrant from the Caribbean, recently received a whopping 5 years of probation after destroying statuary in five Brooklyn churches.  Mr. St. Croix, who is presumably an idiot, pleaded guilty, said he was sorry, and that his motives for the vandalism were religious in nature.  Since he won't be doing any time in the stir, why not offer this goof a one-way ticket to Afghanistan? Sounds like the Taliban could use a guy with his talents these days.

MUST HAVE BEEN A "MONDAY/FRIDAY" APPRAISAL
3/01

Demonstrating once again the value of getting a second opinion, a now-former client of Christie's is suing the auction firm for millions over an allegedly off- the-mark appraisal.  According to the lawsuit, the client received an appraisal of $15,000 for a work by Ludovico Carracci, entitled "The Pieta".  Acting on this, the client sold the work to a French dealer for $40,000 who in turn actually put the work up for sale at Christie's.  At auction, the work sold to the Metropolitan Museum for $5.2 million.  My guess is that the client is going to be out of luck, but only time and the court system will tell.

 "GIOTTO" REMAINS STILL ON HOLD
1/01

Art news hounds will recall that back in September, Italian anthropology professor Francesco Mallegni postulated that remains unearthed 30 years ago beneath Florence's Duomo cathedral might be those of Giotto.  Considered by most scholars to be the father of European art, Giotto has always been a figure shrouded in mystery.  Even his burial location has never been documented, although that could possibly change.  A reconstruction based on the bones matches a presumed self-portrait of the artist  and the bones themselves contain high levels of zinc, lead, arsenic, and other elements used in 14th century paints.

  "Not so fast!" sez American art professor Franklin Tokler.  Tokler, who oversaw the original excavation,  has written the cardinal of Florence and urged him not to rebury the bones in a planned ceremony.  According to Tokler, for all anyone knows, the bones in question "might have been those of a butcher".  Apparently the cardinal has agreed, so look for this debate to continue and perhaps even get quite heated.  Nothing like some academic reputations on the line to start the fur flying.

STOLEN BERNINGHAUS SURFACES IN CLEVELAND
1/01

According to AP press reports, an important work by Oscar Berninghaus, a founder of the Taos school, has been found in Cleveland.  Stolen from the Albuquerque Museum in 1989, Pueblo Woman of Taos was recovered by the FBI after the work was offered to a dealer in Indiana. The work was covered by the museum's insurer, which will offer it back to the museum for  approximately $410,000 plus interest.  Investigators, meantime, are trying the piece together the painting's journey from New Mexico to Ohio.  According to the AP, when the painting was recovered it was in the  possession of an unnamed elderly gentleman who claimed he "bought it at a flea market".  All I can say is, it must have been one heck of a flea market.
 

 POIGNANT DISCOVERY IN A RAPHAEL
12/00

According to an article by Sheila Pierce of the Assoc. Press, recent restoration of Raphael's The Baker Girl has revealed a possible engagement ring that was painted over shortly after Raphael's death.  The sitter, Margherita Luti, was a favorite of the artist and there is speculation that he proposed to her while doing the portrait.  Raphael died before the work was completed and upon his death, Margherita immediately checked herself into a convent (I wonder if my wife would do this if I kicked the bucket).  It is believed that a Raphael student, Giulio Romano, finished the work and perhaps painted over the ring before selling it.  The restored work was on display at the Palazzo Barberini through February 28; no word yet on its next place of exhibition.

ANGEL TAKES FLIGHT
10/00

"How do they do it?"   That was what I asked myself when I read about the theft of a concrete angel from a Columbus area church (see details on the Stolen Art page).  The angel, one of seven outside the church stands 5' 4" tall and weighs over 500 lbs.  Moreover, the angel was taken in broad daylight and, according to the pastor, took 3 large men to install in the first place.  Obviously, we have either a gang at work or else a crook from the planet Krypton. 

SCORE ONE FOR THE GOOD GUYS
10/00

Demonstrating why he will never be a world-class art thief, William Donovan  was arrested in St. Augustine, FL recently after trying to sell a stolen Tiffany watercolor to a gallery less than 2 miles away from where the theft occurred.  The watercolor, taken from the Lightner Museum, was ripped from its frame in the museum's men's room and carried out unnoticed.  The theft was widely publicized but apparently Mr. Donovan wasn't reading the papers that month.   Not long after the theft, he brought the piece to Estate Art and Museum Gallery just 2 miles from the Lightner Museum.  Bad choice!!  The gallery's owner, Lloyd Arshan, is a museum volunteer and recognized the piece instantly.  Police were called, Donovan was busted, and the watercolor returned. 

Donovan was convicted of theft but managed to escape with a fine and 3 months probation (some day our justice system will take art theft seriously).  A final bit of irony: Donovan's probation officer is located in the same building as the Lightner Museum.

AUDUBONS FLY AWAY
9/00

Stunning many dealers and collectors, a recent sale of Audubon's Birds of America set a world auction record for a printed book when it hammered down for $8.8 million in New York.  This price eclipsed the 1998 record of $7.6 million paid for a copy of The Canterbury Tales in London.  The winner, interestingly enough, was Sheik Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the ruler of Qatar.  Al-Thani is presently building a natural history museum in Qatar and has already spent over $250,000,000 on items for it.  That being the case, now might be a good time to check your attics for any natural history masterworks that you might have lying around!

ART FORGER SENTENCED
9/00

As predicted by many, art forger Charles Heller was let of with barely a slap on the wrist after pleading guilty to "withholding information about a crime".  In a recent expose in Maine Antiques Digest (July 2000 issue), Heller was revealed to be a pernicious art forger who was responsible for flooding the market with fake William Walker paintings.  The story surrounding Heller is absolutely intriguing and offers a cautionary tale to would-be buyers of Walker's works.  

STOLEN MOSAIC RETURNED
9/00

Ending years of wrangling, Germany recently returned to Russia one of two known pieces from the famed 18th century "Amber Room" of Peter the Great's Yekaterinsky Palace.  The piece, stolen in World War II by Nazi troops, was an intricate mosaic made of amber.  Also included in the return was an early chest of drawers that was part of the room's original furnishings.   The name "Amber Room" came from the splendid panels of amber that originally lined the walls of the room. 

OOPS!
7/7/00

As if all the trouble with the Feds weren't enough, Sotheby's recently added yet another woe to its list by destroying a valuable painting by Lucien Freud.  Workers at Sotheby's apparently thought that the painting's protective wooden case was empty and put it in a crusher.  According to the Evening Standard newspaper, Sotheby's has placed a value of $240,000 on the piece and indicated the auction house would reimburse the consignor for that amount.  The Standard's art critic Brian Sewell derided that value as "peanuts", noting that a large work by the painter recently sold for more than $1.6 million.  Stay tuned for what will probably be the inevitable lawsuits!

HAVE A SEAT!
6/29/00

But NOT at the Minneapolis Museum.  Seems a "patron" recently sat in a $500,000 Ming Dynasty chair that was on display and, well, broke it!  The chair was clearly marked "do not touch" but this nitwit, who apparently couldn't read, ignored the signs, climbed onto a special dais, and gave the chair a try.  The result: one broken chair, now at a restorer's in London.  Amazingly, the museum plans to press no charges, which to me suggests either a) the guy who broke the chair is a relative of the director or b) the museum is moving towards the "petting zoo" concept.  Hey, now that I think about it, I always have wanted to try on one of those neat suits of armor in the Art Institute of Chicago!  Hmmmm...

UNCLE SAM WANTS HIS ART BACK!
3/25/00

The Federal government has begun a project to locate, inventory, and even reclaim ownership to thousands of pieces of WPA artwork scattered across the country.  Speared by the GSA, the project has already inventoried more than 17000 pieces of art in both federal and non-federal institutions.   While the items held in the non-federal institutions are not being repossessed, a number of private owners have not been as fortunate.  Major items have been pulled from New York auction houses and most recently, a woman was contacted regarding a WPA piece that she put up for sale on eBay.  Given a choice of donating it to a public institution or returning to the government, she elected to donate it.  This doesn't mean that collectors should start yanking off the old WPA plaques on their paintings.   Sellers of important works, however, should probably give considerable forethought to the ramifications of this government effort.

ART THIEVES WASTE NO TIME IN RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR
2/1/00

Art thieves got a fast start in 2000 with the theft of an important Cezanne landscape.   The work, Auverssur-Oisev, was taken on New Year's Day from the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.  This large landscape has been valued at almost $5 million dollars and was the only Cezanne in the museum's collection.  The thieves gained access to the museum gallery by entering through a glass roof.  Looks like I wasn't the only one to see "The Thomas Crown Affair"!

STOLEN RUBENS SURFACES IN NEW JERSEY
12/29/99

A Peter Rubens work valued at $3.1 million has been recovered from a New Jersey collector who was unaware that it had been stolen 7 years earlier in Belgium.  The work, Unidentified man Wearing a Ruff, was put up as collateral in a 1992 business deal by its owner, Dirck van Wylinck.   The people holding the work vanished and it was sold later that year, along with other art works, to the New Jersey collector.  Belgium authorities were delighted to secure the return of the work and are currently investigating the people who made off with the piece.  No charges are expected to be filed against the collector, who apparently bought the piece in good faith.

NEW GALLERIES OPEN AT LOUVRE
12/18/99

Seven new galleries designed by famous French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte have opened at the Louvre, just in time for the year 2000.  Among the 175 objects newly placed on display are royal furnishings from the period 1814-1848.  These include gilded bedroom pieces that once belonged to King Charles X and neo-Gothic items that were formerly owned by Marie d'Orleans, daughter of King Louis-Philippe.  Room for the new galleries was created when Finance Ministry bureaucrats were dislodged from their long-held offices.  Word has it that they were not happy with the relocation!

SISTINE CHAPEL RESTORATION WORK DONE
12/11/99

After years of work, the fabulous murals in the Sistine Chapel are finally restored and available for viewing by the public.  The brilliance of the restored colors has amazed everyone and earlier criticism that the colors were too bright and gaudy has largely vanished.  And, with the return of the murals to their original state have come additional discoveries.  One of the most interesting is the occasional cameo appearance of a small white dog that is believed to have been a mascot of the artists.   For example, in a mural of the Last Supper by Cosimo Rosselli, the little dog is seen on its hind legs begging at the table (this sounds remarkably similar to the behavior of our four cats)!  Interestingly, the various frescoes and murals are believed to have been painted in about a year.  The restoration, however, took some 30 restorers and their assistants over five years.

NYC ART DEALER ARRESTED FOR LIVE AMMO
11/6/99

As if the Rudi vs. elephant-dung Madonna show weren't enough, the NY Times recently reported that well-known gallery owner Mary Boone was charged late last month with illegally distributing live 9mm cartridges and resisting arrest.  The cartridges, part of an exhibit, were displayed in an art glass vase and viewers were invited to take them home in orange air-sickness bags (is this art, or what?).  Ms. Boone, who was arrested at her 5th Ave. gallery, was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and possession of stolen property after police determined that one of the pieces of artwork was made from stolen materials and contained a functional shotgun.  According to the article, the piece in question was part of an exhibit of works by sculptor Tom Sachs, who also displayed a functional airplane lavatory made out of construction foam.  Call me old-fashioned but I'll stick with impressionism.

OLD AND NEW COLLIDE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
10/8/99

A recent issue of the Maine Antiques Digest reports that the State of New Hampshire, at the behest of their Board of Auctioneers, is requiring an  auctioneer's license for anyone who hosts other peoples items on internet auction sites such as eBay.   Individuals who post their own items are, of course exempt, but anyone who does it for a service (i.e. takes a commission) is liable for prosecution unless they have a license.  And getting a license in New Hampshire is no easy task.  A $10,000 bond is required, plus an exam, 80 hours of study or six months of apprenticeship, and letters of recommendation from at least two licensed auctioneers.  Whew!

Two things seem apparent to me.   One is that established auctioneers are feeling the heat of competition from the Internet.  The other is that this bit of legislation will soon be challenged in court.  Stay tuned for further updates!

MY GOD...IT'S FULL OF ART!
10/1/99

According to an AP/NY Times article, a small college in upstate New York has hit an art jackpot it never knew it had.  The lucky winner was Russell Sage College in Troy, NY, where an inventory taken for insurance purposes turned up original paintings and etchings by Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte.   The works were found in garages, behind mattresses, and even in a dormitory lounge.   Clearly, I should have paid more attention to the furnishings at my own alma mater when I was a student! The value of the works, by the way, is estimated to be a tidy $1,000,000.

 P.S.  My article title is a play on David Bowman's final quote, "My God...it's full of stars" in 2001: A Space Odyssey.  I'll make this a belated memorial to the late, great Stanley Kubrik.

ART FORGER EXPOSED IN RECENT NY TIMES ARTICLE
8/6/99

In cased you missed it, the July 18th issue of the NY Times Magazine had a terrific article exposing the fascinating saga of art forger John Myatt.  In a nutshell Myatt, a local art teacher in England, discovered in 1986 that he had an amazing ability to paint in the style of numerous 20th century masters such as Braque, Picasso, and Klee.  Abandoned by his wife, the penniless father of two young children was easy prey for con artist John Drewe, who began to sell Myatt's work through various major auction houses and galleries.  Drewe was a brilliant forger himself, in that he looted museum libraries and national archives for material that would permit the creation of seemingly ironclad provenances.  The scheme toppled when a former lover of Drewe's tipped off Scotland Yard about Drewe's activities.

The whole story is absolutely intriguing!  Myatt apparently produced some 200 works, many of which sold for tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Due in part to Drewe's clever bogus provenances, numerous art experts failed to notice that all of Myatt's works were done in ordinary acrylic housepaint mixed with KY Jelly.  Unfortunately, significant damage has probably been done to the art world.  Legal action between various buyers and sellers is inevitable and important art archives have been badly compromised.  The real tragedy, of course, is that so many formidable lines of defense were so easily breached.  Art experts, museums, galleries, dealers, and archive curators all proved to be far too easily fooled.   And if it can happen once, rest assured it will probably happen again.  As the article notes, some experts believe that anywhere from 10% to 40% of works by significant artists for sale are fakes.