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A review by saphiraas
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
adventurous
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
4 stars!
This was a fascinating, true crime novel about the world's most prolific art thiefs in history, Stéphane Breitwieser. He was obsessed with possessing beautiful, priceless works of art regardless of the cost. I love how Finkel told the story slowly, starting with Breitwieser's first theft, which he did on a whim with his girlfriend Anne Catherine, all the way to him being a klepomaniac with an insatiable hunger for collecting more and more stolen art objects in his mom's attic.
I couldn't believe how prolific this guy was. Him and his girlfriend would literally steal every weekend at different museums, across different countries and hide everything on display in his mother's attic. He, with the help of Anne-Catherine, stole over 239 artworks from 172 museums while traveling around Europe, an average of one theft every 15 days. They would even steal multiple times per day! INSANEEE!!
This book was short and to the point, which I enjoyed. And it also didn't offer too much moral judgement over Breitwisers actions. Finkel told the story of this criminal with objectivity and humanity and let the reader draw their own conclusions regarding the motives of Breitweiser's actions, as well as the complicity of his girlfriend and mother.
You can clearly tell Finkel poured lots of time and research into this story and wanted to do it justice. The attention to detail is what really makes this book shine. It feels like you're right there, stuffing priceless paintings into your trousers with Breitweiser and on the look out for guards with Anne Catherine.
It was so weird reading this book, because part of you is rooting for Brietweisier and hoping him and Anne Catherine don't get caught, since he is the protagonist of the story and we are kinda inside his brain and hearing all his justifications for stealing artwork. His justifications include: almost artwork in museums has been stolen from one time or person (lowkey true), he is a caretaker for the works he steals and treats them with the utmost tenderness, he is not a common criminal, he steals for aesthetics not monetary gain, he his a true appreciator of art unlike others and therefore deserves the work to hang in his room, the museum doesn't provide the proper aesthetic conditions for truly appreciating a work of art.
At the same time, while reading this book and hearing Breitweiser's justifications, you want him to see justice and be punished. It doesn't seem fair that he gets to be the only one to appreciate these artworks that he stolen which should belong to the public for viewer and appreciation.
It was also really fascinating to hear that by the end, Breitweiser had become a hoarder, amassing so many works, he was stuffing them under the bed and accidentally breaking other ones that were overcrowding the attic. How can one possibly appreciate so much art when it is a crowded mess?
In the end, it seems like Breitweiser is a kleptomaniac who, yes deeply appreciates art, but also was addicted to the thrill of stealing and getting away with such difficult crimes in broad daylight, something he was clearly good at with Anne Catherine's help. I was also surprised by how light his prison sentences were? For a repeat offender and such a prolific criminal with little remorse it seems he barely did any time behind bars.
In conclusion, this was a fascinating peak into the mind and life of the world's most prolific art thief. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in true crime stories or art history.
"Crime works best, not with overpowering force but when nobody knows it’s being committed."
“It isn’t action, he suspects, that usually lands a thief in prison. It’s hesitation.”
"Art signals our freedom. It exists because we’ve won the evolutionary war."
This was a fascinating, true crime novel about the world's most prolific art thiefs in history, Stéphane Breitwieser. He was obsessed with possessing beautiful, priceless works of art regardless of the cost. I love how Finkel told the story slowly, starting with Breitwieser's first theft, which he did on a whim with his girlfriend Anne Catherine, all the way to him being a klepomaniac with an insatiable hunger for collecting more and more stolen art objects in his mom's attic.
I couldn't believe how prolific this guy was. Him and his girlfriend would literally steal every weekend at different museums, across different countries and hide everything on display in his mother's attic. He, with the help of Anne-Catherine, stole over 239 artworks from 172 museums while traveling around Europe, an average of one theft every 15 days. They would even steal multiple times per day! INSANEEE!!
This book was short and to the point, which I enjoyed. And it also didn't offer too much moral judgement over Breitwisers actions. Finkel told the story of this criminal with objectivity and humanity and let the reader draw their own conclusions regarding the motives of Breitweiser's actions, as well as the complicity of his girlfriend and mother.
You can clearly tell Finkel poured lots of time and research into this story and wanted to do it justice. The attention to detail is what really makes this book shine. It feels like you're right there, stuffing priceless paintings into your trousers with Breitweiser and on the look out for guards with Anne Catherine.
It was so weird reading this book, because part of you is rooting for Brietweisier and hoping him and Anne Catherine don't get caught, since he is the protagonist of the story and we are kinda inside his brain and hearing all his justifications for stealing artwork. His justifications include: almost artwork in museums has been stolen from one time or person (lowkey true), he is a caretaker for the works he steals and treats them with the utmost tenderness, he is not a common criminal, he steals for aesthetics not monetary gain, he his a true appreciator of art unlike others and therefore deserves the work to hang in his room, the museum doesn't provide the proper aesthetic conditions for truly appreciating a work of art.
At the same time, while reading this book and hearing Breitweiser's justifications, you want him to see justice and be punished. It doesn't seem fair that he gets to be the only one to appreciate these artworks that he stolen which should belong to the public for viewer and appreciation.
In the end, it seems like Breitweiser is a kleptomaniac who, yes deeply appreciates art, but also was addicted to the thrill of stealing and getting away with such difficult crimes in broad daylight, something he was clearly good at with Anne Catherine's help. I was also surprised by how light his prison sentences were? For a repeat offender and such a prolific criminal with little remorse it seems he barely did any time behind bars.
In conclusion, this was a fascinating peak into the mind and life of the world's most prolific art thief. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in true crime stories or art history.
"Crime works best, not with overpowering force but when nobody knows it’s being committed."
“It isn’t action, he suspects, that usually lands a thief in prison. It’s hesitation.”
"Art signals our freedom. It exists because we’ve won the evolutionary war."