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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
I thought this book had highs and lows. When I first started it, it felt rather dry. But, the dryness varied per chapter. Some of the chapters proved to be rather exciting. Overall, I would say this book is definitely for nerdy types who can tolerate, or even enjoy, a dry writing style. But, I enjoyed it and found it to be rather educational.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
slow-paced
An absolutely fascinating overview of various Rembrandt heists!
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
I visited the Gardner Museum on a recent trip to Boston. While there, I learned of the 1990 heist at the museum, in which thieves stole 13 works by cutting them from their frames with a box cutter. Today, as the works have not been recovered, only the frames remain (swipe right for an example).
These empty frames saddened me as they represented a loss of art in the public domain. Among the works was a painting by Vermeer, one of only 34 paintings attributed to him today. I wanted to learn more about how something like that can happen, and when I saw Stealing Rembrandts, a non-fiction book on notorious art heists, in the gift shop, I decided to pick it up.
One part a lesson in art history, one part a true crime look at thefts of Rembrandt’s works of both high and (relatively) low value, I enjoyed learning more about the motives of art thieves (including debunking the myth of a rich evil collector stealing the works for his private collection), the heist itself, and the (often) subsequent recovery of the priceless works. My only complaint about this book is that I wish there was more detail on how the detectives tracked down and recovered the work—only a few of the retelling of the heists left me satisfied in this regard. However, I think that is largely a factor of art crime itself rather than the fault of the authors. Often, details of recoveries are not highly publicized due to thieves negotiating anonymity as a condition of the return of the works after the statute of limitations expires.
Overall, Stealing Rembrandts was an interesting read, and I recommend it for anyone interested in both art history and true crime!
These empty frames saddened me as they represented a loss of art in the public domain. Among the works was a painting by Vermeer, one of only 34 paintings attributed to him today. I wanted to learn more about how something like that can happen, and when I saw Stealing Rembrandts, a non-fiction book on notorious art heists, in the gift shop, I decided to pick it up.
One part a lesson in art history, one part a true crime look at thefts of Rembrandt’s works of both high and (relatively) low value, I enjoyed learning more about the motives of art thieves (including debunking the myth of a rich evil collector stealing the works for his private collection), the heist itself, and the (often) subsequent recovery of the priceless works. My only complaint about this book is that I wish there was more detail on how the detectives tracked down and recovered the work—only a few of the retelling of the heists left me satisfied in this regard. However, I think that is largely a factor of art crime itself rather than the fault of the authors. Often, details of recoveries are not highly publicized due to thieves negotiating anonymity as a condition of the return of the works after the statute of limitations expires.
Overall, Stealing Rembrandts was an interesting read, and I recommend it for anyone interested in both art history and true crime!
Against all odds, a book about stealing art masterpieces is boring.
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
