Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci
The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Musee du Louvre in Paris back in 1911. The theft lead to a stir worldwide. The painting was stolen by a Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia. The painting was recovered two years later along with the thief. The painting has an estimated value of $860 million as of the 2020.
Poppy Flowers, Vincent Van Gogh
The painting was stolen from the Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum, Cairo, Egypt in August 2010 and still not recovered to date. It is regarded that Van Gogh painted it three years before committing sucide. The painting had a whopping value of $50 million. The painting was also previously stolen from the same museum in June 1977. The painting was found after ten years later in Kuwait.
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt
The painting was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. The painting was stolen along with 12 other paintings in March 18, 1990. The 1633 painting depicts Jesus calming a storm at sea by the side of his disciples. The painting was thieved by two men who obtained access to the museum by claiming themselves to be police officers. The painting had an estimated value of $100 million. Another painting which was also looted that night, The Concert, had a staggering estimated worth of $200 million.
Le Pigeon Aux Petits Pois, Pablo Picasso
The painting known as The Pigeon with Green Peas was stolen in May 2010 along with 4 other artworks. The robbery was accomplished by just one man. The man was later arrested but the police could not recover the painting as the thief had claimed he threw it away. The painting had a value of $28 million.
Portrait of a Young Man, Raphael
The painting was done in the early 15th century. The painting was looted by the Nazis after they conquered Poland. The painting is considered to be a self portrait of Raphael. The painting was confiscated by Hans Frank, one of Hitler’s senior officials, who took it it for Fuhrer Museum. The painting was last seen at Frank’s residence in 1945 and it’s been missing ever since. The painting was valued $100 million and is deemed as one of the most important paintings missing since World War II.
The Just Judges, Jan van Eyck
The painting was on display at Saint Bavo’ Cathedral, Belgium, when it was stolen in 1934. The painting was robbed with the leaving a note ‘Taken from Germany by the treaty of Versailles’, which written in French. The Belgian Government had a tough time exchanging notes with the alleged thief, a successful politician Arsene Goedertier. The thief claimed he knew the whereabouts of the painting but said he was taking the secret to his grave. Till now the location of the painting is still unknown.
Portrait of Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud
The painting went missing in 1988 from Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie and was speculated that it was stolen by a fan of Bacon or student. Following the theft, Freud designed a wanted poster for his artwork but did not amass any responses. The painting was on loan from the artist’s collection at the Tate Britain Gallery.
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