Art Theft: and the Case of the Stolen Turners
Sandy Nairne
Art Theft: and the Case of the Stolen Turners
The theft of high-profile works of art is not new and recurs on a fairly regular basis. In 1994 two important paintings by J.M.W Turner (then valued at £24 million) were stolen from a public gallery in Frankfurt while on loan from the Tate in London. Sandy Nairne, who was then Director of Programmes at the Tate, became centrally involved in the pursuit of the pictures and in the negotiation for their return. In Art Theft and the Case of the Stolen Turners he relates for the first time this complex, cloak-and-dagger story of the theft, the many efforts to regain the paintings and the final return of the pictures in 2002 to public display at the Tate. In addition to this story, Nairne examines other high-value art thefts, trying to resolve the puzzle of why thieves steal well-known works of art that cannot be sold, even on the black market.
2.9 out of 5 based on 4 reviews
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Omniscore:
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| Classification |
Non-fiction |
| Genre |
Art, Architecture & Photography |
| Format |
Hardback |
| Pages |
280 |
| RRP |
£20.00 |
| Date of Publication |
June 2011 |
| ISBN |
978-1861898517 |
| Publisher |
Reaktion Books |
| |
The theft of high-profile works of art is not new and recurs on a fairly regular basis. In 1994 two important paintings by J.M.W Turner (then valued at £24 million) were stolen from a public gallery in Frankfurt while on loan from the Tate in London. Sandy Nairne, who was then Director of Programmes at the Tate, became centrally involved in the pursuit of the pictures and in the negotiation for their return. In Art Theft and the Case of the Stolen Turners he relates for the first time this complex, cloak-and-dagger story of the theft, the many efforts to regain the paintings and the final return of the pictures in 2002 to public display at the Tate. In addition to this story, Nairne examines other high-value art thefts, trying to resolve the puzzle of why thieves steal well-known works of art that cannot be sold, even on the black market.
Reviews
The Sunday Times
James McConnachie
"Thoughtful … exciting … The biggest winners, arguably, were the Balkan racketeers who were reported as having received the lion’s share of the Tate’s cash. Nairne prefers not to discuss them, asserting that what Liebrucks did with his “fee” was no concern of the Tate, protesting that the payment was not a ransom but a “reward for information” — on the grounds that no threats were made to the safety of the two Turners. Thieves, one suspects, wouldn’t care about such a legalistic distinction. As long as museums pay up, paintings will be stolen, and Nairne should not get away with sidestepping this issue."
31/07/2011
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The Observer
Laura Cumming
"Riveting … The recovery of both the pictures and the insurance money was a smart gamble for the Tate. But was it ransom, pay-off or buy-back? … The greater mystery of Art Theft is not who stole the Turners, but what exactly became of the Tate's money."
17/07/2011
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The Spectator
Sarah Burton
"Stolid ... Nairne’s book is fascinating in its account of the astonishingly British way in which extraordinary legal precedents were set, and special permissions were sought, to legitimise the return of the Turners, and is worth reading if only to observe (not an observation he makes, in fact one he carefully circumvents) that when the Establishment wants something it will move heaven and earth to make it all above board on paper to get it."
27/08/2011
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The Literary Review
Edward Dolnick
"... Nairne has quite a tale to tell. But he sells it short. The thieves, described in countless newspaper stories and a 2005 BBC documentary as Balkan gangsters, never come on stage. Nairne refers to them blandly as 'the other side' and says no more ... The cops fare no better ... This is too bad, for Nairne can be a charming storyteller."
01/08/2011
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