Works of art are a statement of and a commentary on the
time, place and persons who created them and patronized them. They
are the images of the civilization gone bye and help us to understand history. Although
we may not realize it, art is a cultural statement that remains to inform and
educate future generations of how life once was. This is what makes certain
pieces of art more poignant and famous than others, when they come to symbolize
a generation or period of time.
Though priceless and invaluable there have been occasions in
history when they were not shown the respect they deserved and they were
pillaged, plundered, stolen and destroyed. Thus either unknowingly or worse
still, knowingly and with a vengeance of intolerance they have been destroyed
and left gaping holes in the story of our civilization. So whether it was
because of the World Wars or it was the plunder of Muslim fundamentalists of
ISIS or Taliban, many precious works of art were lost forever. Accidents, fire,
negligence and botched up restoration efforts too have contributed to the
tragic loss of priceless artworks.
The wars have had a very detrimental impact on culture and civilization
and art which remains an embodiment of both has suffered most and many epics
have been lost forever. The invading armies were either ignorant of their true
value or were so afraid of their potential to revive a culture that they
purposely destroyed them.
When properly taken care of, works of art can
persist through millenniums that tell the stories of the times passed to future
generations. To preserve cultural heritage from getting destroyed, art
galleries and museums have installed a set of rules designed to protect the
artworks from thieves, vandals, and accidents. Artworks are often protected by
safety ropes that keep the visitors at a reasonable distance. Some pieces are
placed inside bulletproof glass boxes.
But, since art venues are trying to keep the sense of accessibility, many works are showcased without these protective items. Instead, they are guarded by a series of guidelines that the visitors must obey. For instance, viewers are often asked to leave their belongings (such as briefcases and umbrellas) at the front desk. Since children are prone to accidents of all kinds, museums demand that they must be accompanied by adults. Food and drinks are not allowed and touching the pieces is strictly forbidden.
There's a reason why museums and galleries ask people not to touch works on display. Human skin carries natural oils and acids that are harmful to artworks. A single touch can initiate permanent changes, darken the paint or corrode metal. But despite these rules, accidents happen and artworks get shattered, punched through or completely destroyed.
But, since art venues are trying to keep the sense of accessibility, many works are showcased without these protective items. Instead, they are guarded by a series of guidelines that the visitors must obey. For instance, viewers are often asked to leave their belongings (such as briefcases and umbrellas) at the front desk. Since children are prone to accidents of all kinds, museums demand that they must be accompanied by adults. Food and drinks are not allowed and touching the pieces is strictly forbidden.
There's a reason why museums and galleries ask people not to touch works on display. Human skin carries natural oils and acids that are harmful to artworks. A single touch can initiate permanent changes, darken the paint or corrode metal. But despite these rules, accidents happen and artworks get shattered, punched through or completely destroyed.
In a 5 part series I will be presenting 50 priceless and
invaluable works of art which we will never be able to see again
because they have been lost forever and this is the third series of 10
such masterpieces:
21. Man at the Crossroads - Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera painted many populist murals and frescoes, but his
most famous work might be the one that no longer exists. In 1932, the artist
was commissioned by John D. Rockefeller to create a mural for the walls of New
York’s Rockefeller Center in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Given the theme of “Man at the
Crossroads Looking with Hope and High Vision to the Choosing of a New and
Better Future,” Rivera responded with a revolutionary work that referenced
scientific progress, civil rights and the plight of the working class. An
ardent leftist, he also included a depiction of the communist leader Vladimir
Lenin—a move that offended the sensibilities of his wealthy patrons. When
Rivera refused to remove Lenin from his mural, the Rockefellers had the work
covered over with canvas frames and then later destroyed. Rivera would go on to
paint another version of his Rockefeller mural—this time titled “Man,
Controller of the Universe”—in Mexico City.
The controversy over the mural was significant because Rivera's
communist ideals contrasted with the theme of Rockefeller Center, even though
the Rockefeller family themselves admired Rivera's work. As originally
installed, it was a three-paneled artwork. A central panel depicted a worker
controlling machinery. The central panel was flanked by two other panels, The
Frontier of Ethical Evolution and The Frontier of Material Development, which
respectively represented socialism and capitalism.
The Rockefeller–Rivera dispute has become an emblem of the
relationship of politics, aesthetics, creative freedom and economic power.
22. Medusa Shield - Leonardo da Vinci
Several of Leonardo da Vinci’s works have been lost to
time, but the “Medusa Shield” is perhaps the most mysterious. Painted when the
Italian master was in his youth, this early work supposedly took the form of a
shield emblazoned with a creature inspired by the snake-haired Greek monster
Medusa. According to a 1550 account by art historian Giorgio Vasari, the
painting was so realistic that it initially frightened Leonardo’s father, who
considered it a macabre masterpiece and secretly sold it to a group of
Florentine merchants. The shield has long since vanished, and some modern
experts now argue that Vasari’s account may have been little more than a myth.
The head of a Medusa, with the head attired with a coil of
snakes, the most strange and extravagant invention that could ever be imagined,
but since it was a work that took time, it remained unfinished, as everything
happened with almost all Leonardo's creations. Vasari indicates that the face
was painted on a wooden shield cut from fig trees. It was a favor to a peasant
friend of his who fashioned the shield. Leonardo in his experimental style took
the shield and heated it by fire and made it smooth. He then moved to make one
his very first masterpieces.
23. Chez Tortini - Edouard Manet
If you want to carry out an audacious art heist in the city
of Boston, Massachusetts, then there’s no better time than St. Patrick’s Day.
It was on that day in 1990, when almost all of the city was celebrating their
Irish heritage, that Chez Tortini, along with a number of other artworks were
taken from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. As with all the other works,
the whereabouts of Edouard Manet’s famous portrait of an unidentified gentleman
remains a mystery, despite the fact the gallery is offering a $5 million reward
for its safe return.
It’s believed that French artist Manet completed this oil
on canvas painting in 1879 or 1880. Apart from that, little is known about it.
Above all, while it’s made clear that the portrait is set in the Café Tortoni
de Paris, a favorite hangout of the French realist, the subject of the work is
never revealed. That is, nobody knows for sure whether it’s a portrait of one
of Manet’s friends, relatives or simply a stranger he wanted to paint. Quite
possibly, the man in question was a fellow Bohemian, quite possibly an artist
or a writer. But what is for certain is that Chez Tortini is missing, presumed
gone for good.
Other famous Manet paintings are 'Barque of Dante', 'Christ
the Gardener', 'The Spanish Singer' and 'Olympia'.
24. The 16 Pleasures - Marcantonio Raimondi
The 16 Pleasures by Marcantonio Raimondi was so sexually scandalous
that the Pope tried to destroy all the copies, though whether he succeeded or
not is up for debate. The world’s first collection of pornography wasn’t so
much lost or stolen as confiscated.
Marcantonio Raimondi’s series of erotic engravings both titillated
and scandalized polite society at the peak of the Renaissance. In fact, it
shocked the Catholic Church so much that they tried to buy up all the copies of
the first edition of the work and have them all destroyed. Whether the Church
succeeded in its puritanical mission, or whether one or more copies of the
original survived the puritanical purge and are still out there, remains a
source of considerable scholarly debate to this day.
The artwork, entitled The Sixteen Pleasures, or sometimes
referred to as I Modi (The Ways) was actually a series of engravings created by
Raimondi and then released in 1524. All of the elaborate engravings depicted
different sexual acts and positions. Significantly, while other artists had
made similar erotic works for private viewing, Raimondi intended his to be seen
by the public. When Pope Clement VII learned of this, he was incensed. Wielding
his Papal authority, he ordered his soldiers to locate and then destroy every
set of the engravings. According to most accounts, they succeeded, and the Pope
even had the artist briefly imprisoned.
But that doesn’t mean that the puritans had the last word.
Within a few years, a second edition had been published. This time, the
engravings were accompanied by erotic poems. What’s more, Raimondi’s legacy
lived on. In the 17th century, enterprising printers at Oxford University in
England made copies of their own, bringing The Sixteen Pleasures to a new
generation. These examples still survive today. However, the hunt for the
original 1524 artworks goes on.
25. The Poor Poet - Carl Spitzweg
It was reportedly Hitler’s favorite painting. Painted in
1839, Carl Spitzweg’s The Poor Poet was very much a product of its time. In it,
the artist satirizes the bohemian gentlemen who felt they needed to suffer for
their art. In its day, it was hugely popular, transforming Spitzweg from a
pharmacist who painted in his spare time, to one of the most acclaimed artists
in Germany. And while the Fuhrer’s admiration undoubtedly tarnished its
reputation – after all, Hitler hardly had good taste in art, despite his
pretenses – it remained popular. So popular, in fact, that it has been stolen
not once but twice.
On the first occasion, in 1976, a German performance artist
stole The Poor Poet from off the walls of the New National Gallery in Berlin.
He was chased by the museum guards but managed to get into his car and drive
away. He then drove to a working-class neighborhood of Berlin and hung the
famous painting up on the wall of an immigrant family’s home. The stunt was
designed to highlight the discrimination Turkish newcomers were facing in
German society at the time. Regardless of whether or not he succeeded, the
painting was quickly recovered and returned to the museum.
The painting was stolen again in 1989, however. This time,
a visitor in a fake wheelchair managed to take this painting and another
similarly small work by Spitzweg off the walls and smuggle them out right under
the nose of the security guards. This time around, there was no happy ending.
Neither of the paintings have been recovered. Moreover, since both works are
compact and easy to hide, and since there was no CCTV back in 1989, it’s likely
that Hitler’s favorite painting will remain missing, presumed lost for good.
And, what’s more, these two aren’t the only Spitzweg paintings whose location
is unknown. In all, some 36 works from the German artist’s vast output remain
missing, almost all of them having been stolen.
26. Landscape with an Obelisk - Govert Flinck
For many years, Landscape with an Obelisk was attributed to
the Italian master Rembrandt. After much investigation, however, it was
determined that it was actually the work of Govert Flinck. Compared to the
Italian, the Dutchman is quite little-known outside of his own country. And,
sadly, this could remain the case, especially since this famous work of his was
stolen from a Boston gallery in 1990 and is still missing.
The oil-on-wood painting, which depicts a pastoral
landscape with a mysterious obelisk in the background, was finished in 1638.
While it was inspired by the artist’s time in Rome, and in particular his time
perfecting his craft in the ancient ruins of Tivoli just outside of the city,
the exact location depicted is not clear. Regardless, at some point it was
acquired by Isabella Stewart Gardner, one of the most notable American
collectors and cultural philanthropists of the last century. She left it to the
city of Boston and it hung in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. And here it
remained until March 1980, when the largest art theft in world history
happened.
Landscape with an Obelisk was one of 13 paintings stolen
that day. The total worth of the haul is believed to be around $500 million.
The Flinck landscape on its own is worth in the region of $10 million, even if
it lost some value after it was proven not to be the work of Rembrandt. Over
the years, the finger of blame has been pointed at the Boston underworld. But
even if local gangsters were behind the famous theft, it’s highly unlikely that
they would risk trying to sell their half-a-billion-dollar haul. As such,
Flinck’s most famous work will remain hidden from the public eye indefinitely,
perhaps forever.
27. View of Auvers-sur-Oise - Paul Cezanne
View of Auvers-sur-Oise by Paul Cezanne was stolen in a
perfectly-executed heist while the city of Oxford partied into the new
millennium. The French artist Paul Cezanne never got around to signing
or dating his landscape of the town of Auvers-su-Oise. Because of this, many
art historians believe that the work was left unfinished. But that didn’t make
it any less attractive to the thieves who struck on the eve of the Millennium.
While the rest of Oxford was watching a fireworks display, the criminal – or
criminals – broke into the city’s Ashmolean Museum and made off with the
painting.
As Britain woke up from its big party the night before,
news of the heist spread fast. It was revealed that the thief broke in through
a skylight and used a rope to rappel down to the gallery floor. They then used
a smoke bomb to obstruct the security cameras and then set off the fire alarm.
All went to plan: the museum’s security guards waited for the fire brigade to
arrive, giving the thief enough time to find the Cezanne, take it off the walls
and then leave the museum the way he came in. The whole crime took less than
ten minutes to carry out.
Police were soon on the scene. Since the same gallery was
home to several other valuable works, investigators concluded that the thief
stole the painting to order, making the task of recovering it even more
difficult. So far, no trace has been found, either of the thief or of View of
Auvers-sur-Oise. It’s believed that the painting would now be worth in excess
of $10 million, making it one of the most valuable works of art ever stolen in
Britain. Partly as a result of this single crime, the UK government passed a
new law, deeming thefts of items deemed part of the British “national heritage”
to be worthy of longer prison sentences than normal thefts.
This is ironical to say the least, several artefacts,
sculptures and precious jewellery in the British museums are stolen from
countries which were once British colonies including India!
28. En Canot - Jean Metzinger
En Canot by Jean Metzinger might have been stolen by a
high-ranking Nazi, or it may have been burned a lot of other art the evil
regime believed to be ‘degenerate’. Famously, the Nazis were quite hypocritical when it came to
art. On the one hand, they were quick to condemn works painted by Jewish
artists or by other so-called ‘degenerates’. On the other, however, they were
more than happy to confiscate works by such artists, especially those worth
large sums of money. Indeed, several prominent members of the Nazi regime would
routinely ‘confiscate’ paintings and other works of art in the name of public
decency, only to add them to their own personal collections. Which is precisely
what’s likely to have happened to Jean Metzinger’s modernist masterpiece En Canot.
Frenchman Metzinger produced the piece in 1913. It depicts
a woman, painted in a surrealist fashion, sitting in a canoe. Around her, waves
are meant to give the viewer an unsettling feeling. The work painting was
displayed in Paris that same summer and three years later it was acquired by
Georg Muche. He agreed for En Canot to be displayed in a prominent gallery in
Berlin, where it was then promoted to the German National Gallery. However,
when the Nazis began their clampdown on art, it was confiscated. The painting
was last seen in 1938, shown as part of the Degenerate Art Exhibition which
toured Germany for three years.
29. Portrait of a Lady - Gustav Klimt
Portrait of a Lady is an oil on canvas painting by Gustav
Klimt, painted between 1916 and 1917. The painting measures 60 by 55
centimetres. It depicts a portrait of a female figure, composed in an unusually
lively expressionistic style.
Thanks to his massively-popular – and widely-reproduced –
work The Kiss, Gustav Klimt is one of the best-known painters of all time. That
also means that, as well as being popular with the viewing public, the
Austrian’s paintings are also popular with art thieves, as an intriguing case
from 1997 shows. It was like something straight out of a heist movie, with
forgeries, ransom notes and intrigue extending all the way to the top of the
Italian political system.
Later analysis revealed that the portrait was painted on
top of an earlier portrait of one of the artist’s lovers who had died in tragic
circumstances. The Galleria Ricci-Oddi in the Italian city of Piacenza acquired
the painting as early as 1925 and it remained one of its highlights right up
until February of 1997. Then, when the museum was due to host a special
exhibition in order to celebrate the re-opening of one its galleries after
renovation, Portrait of a Lady vanished.
Several months later, Italian police made a startling
discovery. They found a secret workshop where skilfully-made forgeries of the
Klimt portrait had been produced. It’s now believed that the painting stolen on
the eve of the museum’s special exhibition might not have even been the
original. It could well be that Portrait of a Lady was taken and replaced with
a forgery several months before the high-profile theft, with the second crime
staged to distract from the earlier one. So far, no firm leads have been found,
even though the thieves purportedly got in contact with the former Italian
premier Bettino Craxi at one point. The Klimt remains missing.
30. The Royal Danish Egg - Peter Carl Fabergè
The Royal Danish egg (also known as the Danish Jubilee egg)
is a jewelled enamelled egg a made under the supervision of the Russian
jeweller Peter Carl Fabergè in 1903, for Nicholas II of Russia, who presented
the egg to his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. One of six Febergè
eggs that are currently lost, it is one of two eggs whose existence is known
only from a single photograph, the other being 1909's Alexander II
Commemorative egg.
The egg contains miniature portraits of Christian IX of
Denmark and his wife, Louise of Hesse-Kassel(or Hesse-Cassel), the parents of
the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. Miniatures of the late King of Denmark
and his Queen are framed as the surprise feature in the Imperial egg. The outer
surface is in light blue and white enamel with ornaments in gold and precious
stones. On the top are the armorial bearings of the Danish Royal Family, and is supported by Danish heraldic lions.
One of the largest Fabergè eggs at over nine inches (229
mm) in height,the egg is crowned by the symbol of Denmark 's ancient Order of
the Elephant.
In 1903 the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna, born in
Denmark as Princess Dagmar, returned to Denmark for the 40th Anniversary of her
father's accession to the throne.The Royal Danish egg was thus a commemoration
of this event and at the same time to commemorate the death of Queen Louise.
Nicholas II wrote to his mother in Copenhagen that he was
"sending you a Fabergé Easter present. I hope it will arrive safely; it
simply opens from the top.
We will continue with our journey through this tragic world
of priceless works of art that are lost forever in our 4th of the 5 series in the next blog
