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. Nairne also discusses the theft and recovery of works of art, acknowledging that they form part of a much broader field of theft, looting and illicit dealings with art and antiquities around the world. He debates how different concepts of value can be understood by examining episodes of art theft, questions of motivation and surrounding ethical issues. How art theft is depicted in fiction is also considered, including the construction of the image of the art thief, the specialist detective and the mysterious figure of the hidden, criminal collectior. Art Theft and the Case of the Stolen Turners is the culmination of eight and a half years of pursing the missing paintings, and a further period of research and interviews with key players in the drama. It is a vivid and personal account of a hidden art world and a compelling real-life detective story that will keep both art and mystery lovers eagerly turning pages.
Art Theft and the Case of the Stolen Turners
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
'I was gripped by Sandy Nairne's matter-of-fact but hair-raising account of the efforts to reclaim the two Turners' --Philip Hensher, 'Books of the Year', The Spectator
'A thoughtful (and personal) entrée into the business of art theft' --Sunday Times
'A stupefying amount of Nairne's life, as his riveting book reveals, was devoted to nerve-racking negotiations with mysterious middlemen, sudden and futile expeditions to Germany, tense meetings with loss adjusters, Tate trustees and detectives.' --The Observer
'A thoughtful (and personal) entrée into the business of art theft' --Sunday Times
'A stupefying amount of Nairne's life, as his riveting book reveals, was devoted to nerve-racking negotiations with mysterious middlemen, sudden and futile expeditions to Germany, tense meetings with loss adjusters, Tate trustees and detectives.' --The Observer
About the Author
Sandy Nairne is Director of the National Portrait Gallery, London. He was previously Director of Programmes at Tate, Director of Visual Arts for the Arts Council of Great Britain and Director of Exhibitions at the ICA, London. He has worked as a curator and writer.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A cracking good yarn - big art theft and labyrinthine negotiations with fascinating moral implications. Nairne was at the centre of these negotiations, so we get a first hand insight, counterpointed touchingly with details of his family life. Riveting.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2.7 out of 5 stars
3 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
The same stories are told better elsewhere
20 Sep 2012
By Jennifer Swanson
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The title of my review may be a bit misleading. The first half of the book tells the story of the stolen Turner paintings, which I have not, in fact, read elsewhere. The problem is that it is very dry, especially in comparison to other books (nonfiction) that I have read about art crime. The second half of the book discusses other art thefts, such as the theft of the Mona Lisa and the paintings stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Those stories have all been told multiple times in other books, and in a much more entertaining fashion. I have read several books about art crime, but if this one was the first one I had picked up, I might not have ever read another. If you want to read the best books about art crime, try 1) Priceless, 2) Provenance, and 3) The Gardner Heist. Those are the best, in my opinion. The Rescue Artist is another good one, as is Hot Art. If you have already read this book and didn't like it, don't let it stop you from reading more about art crime. it is a fascinating topic and can be very exciting and entertaining if the stories are told the right way. Unfortunately, this book doesn't tell them very well.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Stolen Apples Taste the Sweetest
7 Jan 2012
By Christian Schlect
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you are responsible for keeping the contents of an art museum in the museum, this book would be an excellent one for you to read.
It falls short of being a great book due to its lack of clear focus. Its first, and stronger, part is the story of the work performed over many years leading to the return of two stolen J.M.W. Turner paintings to the Tate in London. Here the author, Sandy Nairne, was directly involved and provides an insiders' true, but sometimes plodding, account of the eventual complex recovery process of the two works, which were stolen while on loan in Germany. Issues of insurance and dealing with the police are nicely set forth.
I think the best part of the book is on the many ethical considerations that are raised and discussed about a high-profile recovery that entailed negotiations with a German attorney who held useful information on the crime. After large payments were made to him, the art was handed back to the Tate museum. Was this a permissible reward or an illegal ransom?
The book's second part is mostly a simple rehash of other important art crimes, whether true or as fictionally depicted in the movies. (Why is it necessary to talk about female police detectives?) This part does have some good discussion of why paintings by the masters are now valued so highly by society--and thieves--and what might be done, if anything, to better protect these works or capture the thugs who steal them.
An ethical point I think was overlooked by Mr. Nairne: Why was it permissible for the Tate to essentially lie to the press about the state of recovery, when it had in hand one of the two paintings?
It falls short of being a great book due to its lack of clear focus. Its first, and stronger, part is the story of the work performed over many years leading to the return of two stolen J.M.W. Turner paintings to the Tate in London. Here the author, Sandy Nairne, was directly involved and provides an insiders' true, but sometimes plodding, account of the eventual complex recovery process of the two works, which were stolen while on loan in Germany. Issues of insurance and dealing with the police are nicely set forth.
I think the best part of the book is on the many ethical considerations that are raised and discussed about a high-profile recovery that entailed negotiations with a German attorney who held useful information on the crime. After large payments were made to him, the art was handed back to the Tate museum. Was this a permissible reward or an illegal ransom?
The book's second part is mostly a simple rehash of other important art crimes, whether true or as fictionally depicted in the movies. (Why is it necessary to talk about female police detectives?) This part does have some good discussion of why paintings by the masters are now valued so highly by society--and thieves--and what might be done, if anything, to better protect these works or capture the thugs who steal them.
An ethical point I think was overlooked by Mr. Nairne: Why was it permissible for the Tate to essentially lie to the press about the state of recovery, when it had in hand one of the two paintings?
3.0 out of 5 stars
Art Theft and the Case of the Stolen Turners
13 Dec 2012
By Anne
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Interesting the rather tedious path taken to the recovery of these two painting. After that they varaious parts will appeal to various groups - those interested in prices for art, auctions, cultural property, etc.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews
2.7 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
