A STATUE BY FRENCH SCULPTOR AUGUSTE RODIN WAS STOLEN FROM THE ISRAEL MUSEUM DURING THE FACILITY'S RECENTLY COMPLETED RENOVATION, THE MUSEUM SAID WEDNESDAY. THE NUDE BRONZE OF FRENCH NOVELIST HONORE DE BALZAC WAS ONE OF A SERIES OF STUDIES RODIN CAST FOR A MONUMENT TO BALZAC ON DISPLAY IN PARIS. IT WAS DONATED TO THE MUSEUM IN 1966 BY THE JEWISH-AMERICAN IMPRESARIO AND LYRICIST BILLY ROSE. THE MUSEUM SAID THE THEFT WAS DISCOVERED THREE MONTHS AGO AND IMMEDIATELY REPORTED IT TO POLICE. POLICE SAY AN INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE CASE. THE STATUE IS 50 INCHES BY 24 INCHES WIDE AND WEIGHS ABOUT 140 POUNDS. IT WAS MOLDED IN 1892 AND CAST POSTHUMOUSLY BETWEEN 1918 AND 1926. RODIN IS RENOWNED FOR THE ICONIC MASTERPIECES SUCH AS 'THE THINKER' AND 'THE KISS'. THE MUSEUM SAID IT COULD NOT PROVIDE A VALUE FOR THE BALZAC PIECE. BUT BASED ON RODIN SCULPTURES OF SIMILAR DIMENSIONS PUT THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE STOLEN ARTWORK AT APPROXIMATELY $350,000, ACCORDING TO THE ART LOSS REGISTER, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN RECOVERING STOLEN ART. CHRISTOPHER MARINELLO, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE ART LOSS REGISTER, SAID IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SELL SUCH AN HIGH-PROFILE PIECE IN THE OPEN MARKET WITHOUT DETECTION. HE SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY THAT THE THIEVES WOULD MOVE THE PIECE UNDERGROUND, SHOP IT ON THE BLACK MARKET OR RANSOM IT TO AN INSURANCE COMPANY.

RODIN SCULPTURE STOLEN FROM ISRAEL MUSEUM

A STATUE BY FRENCH SCULPTOR AUGUSTE RODIN WAS STOLEN FROM THE ISRAEL MUSEUM DURING THE FACILITY'S RECENTLY COMPLETED RENOVATION, THE MUSEUM SAID WEDNESDAY. THE NUDE BRONZE OF FRENCH NOVELIST HONORE DE BALZAC WAS ONE OF A SERIES OF STUDIES RODIN CAST FOR A MONUMENT TO BALZAC ON DISPLAY IN PARIS. IT WAS DONATED TO THE MUSEUM IN 1966 BY THE JEWISH-AMERICAN IMPRESARIO AND LYRICIST BILLY ROSE. THE MUSEUM SAID THE THEFT WAS DISCOVERED THREE MONTHS AGO AND IMMEDIATELY REPORTED IT TO POLICE. POLICE SAY AN INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE CASE. THE STATUE IS 50 INCHES BY 24 INCHES WIDE AND WEIGHS ABOUT 140 POUNDS. IT WAS MOLDED IN 1892 AND CAST POSTHUMOUSLY BETWEEN 1918 AND 1926. RODIN IS RENOWNED FOR THE ICONIC MASTERPIECES SUCH AS 'THE THINKER' AND 'THE KISS'. THE MUSEUM SAID IT COULD NOT PROVIDE A VALUE FOR THE BALZAC PIECE. BUT BASED ON RODIN SCULPTURES OF SIMILAR DIMENSIONS PUT THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE STOLEN ARTWORK AT APPROXIMATELY $350,000, ACCORDING TO THE ART LOSS REGISTER, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN RECOVERING STOLEN ART. CHRISTOPHER MARINELLO, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE ART LOSS REGISTER, SAID IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SELL SUCH AN HIGH-PROFILE PIECE IN THE OPEN MARKET WITHOUT DETECTION. HE SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY THAT THE THIEVES WOULD MOVE THE PIECE UNDERGROUND, SHOP IT ON THE BLACK MARKET OR RANSOM IT TO AN INSURANCE COMPANY.

RODIN SCULPTURE STOLEN FROM ISRAEL MUSEUM

THE ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO TRY TO KEEP A 3,200 YEAR OLD MUMMY MASK THAT EGYPT WANTS RETURNED, CLAIMING IT WAS STOLEN NEARLY TWO DECADES AGO. THE MUSEUM CLAIMS THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO SEIZE THE 20 INCH LONG FUNERAL MASK OF KA-NEFER-NEFER AND RETURN IT TO EGYPT. BUT THE MUSEUM SAYS IT HAS LEGAL RIGHTS TO THE MASK IT PURCHASED FROM A NEW YORK ART DEALER FOR $499,000 IN 1998. EGYPT OFFICIALS HAVE CLAIMED THE MASK WAS STOLEN IN THE EARLY 1990s FROM A STORAGE ROOM NEAR A PYRAMID. THE SUIT, FILED IN FEDERAL COURT IN ST LOUIS ON TUESDAY, CLAIMS THERE IS NO PROOF THE MASK WAS EVER STOLEN. IT ALSO CLAIMS THAT THE STATUE OF LIMITATIONS HAS EXPIRED FOR ANY SEIZURE.

ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM TRIES TO PROTECT EGYPTIAN MASK FROM SEIZURE

THE ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO TRY TO KEEP A 3,200 YEAR OLD MUMMY MASK THAT EGYPT WANTS RETURNED, CLAIMING IT WAS STOLEN NEARLY TWO DECADES AGO. THE MUSEUM CLAIMS THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO SEIZE THE 20 INCH LONG FUNERAL MASK OF KA-NEFER-NEFER AND RETURN IT TO EGYPT. BUT THE MUSEUM SAYS IT HAS LEGAL RIGHTS TO THE MASK IT PURCHASED FROM A NEW YORK ART DEALER FOR $499,000 IN 1998. EGYPT OFFICIALS HAVE CLAIMED THE MASK WAS STOLEN IN THE EARLY 1990s FROM A STORAGE ROOM NEAR A PYRAMID. THE SUIT, FILED IN FEDERAL COURT IN ST LOUIS ON TUESDAY, CLAIMS THERE IS NO PROOF THE MASK WAS EVER STOLEN. IT ALSO CLAIMS THAT THE STATUE OF LIMITATIONS HAS EXPIRED FOR ANY SEIZURE.

ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM TRIES TO PROTECT EGYPTIAN MASK FROM SEIZURE

POLICE HAVE RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION 34 OF THE 35 WORKS OF ART THAT WERE STOLEN FROM A TRUCK THREE WEEKS AGO IN GETAFE (MADRID) AND WHICH ARE WORTH MORE THAN $4 MILLION. THE SAME SOURCES ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, FOR NOW, THEY FAILED TO APPREHEND THE PERPETRATORS OF THE ROBBERY. THE VEHICLE, WHOSE KEYS WERE KEPT IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT, WAS ABANDONED IN ALCORCON TO CONFUSE OFFICIALS. ALTHOUGH IT WAS INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT THE WORKS OF ART WERE STOLEN ON REQUEST AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE ALREADY HAVE HAD A BUYER, WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME THE INVESTIGATION TOOK A TURN AFTER IT EMERGED THAT A SCULPTURE BY CHILLIDA HAD ENDED UP IN A JUNKYARD. THE STARTLING REVELATION SHOWS THAT THE THIEVES (THREE MASKED MEN WHO DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO SWITCH OFF THE ALARMS) WERE MET WITH A COMMODITY THEY DID NOT EXPECT AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO WITH IT. ACCORDING TO THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION, THE THIEVES TRANSFERRED THE WORKS TO A VAN AFTER LEAVING THE TRUCK. THE INVESTIGATING OFFICERS INITIALLY FOUND A WORK BY CHILLIDA, THE THIEVES HAD SOLD IT AT A JUNKYARD IN MADRID FOR $50. THE LEAD ALLOWED THEM TO FIND 33 OF THE STOLEN ARTWORKS IN A VAN. ALL THE STOLEN MATERIAL IS IN GOOD CONDITION AND MOST OF WERE PROTECTED IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. ONLY ONE OF THE BOXES WAS RECOVERED BROKEN. THE OWNER OF THE JUAN GRIS GALLERY, THE FINAL DESTINATION OF THE STOLEN ART, ACKNOWLEDGED THE 'UNEXPECTED' NEWS. DAVID FERNANDEZ BRASO CONFESSED THAT 'HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE' TO RECOVER THE WORKS AND THAT IT WAS 'A ROBBERY DONE BY PROFESSIONALS'. IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT IT WAS QUITE THE OPPOSITE.

THIEVES TRY TO SELL STOLEN ARTWORK AT SCRAPYARD

POLICE HAVE RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION 34 OF THE 35 WORKS OF ART THAT WERE STOLEN FROM A TRUCK THREE WEEKS AGO IN GETAFE (MADRID) AND WHICH ARE WORTH MORE THAN $4 MILLION. THE SAME SOURCES ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, FOR NOW, THEY FAILED TO APPREHEND THE PERPETRATORS OF THE ROBBERY. THE VEHICLE, WHOSE KEYS WERE KEPT IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT, WAS ABANDONED IN ALCORCON TO CONFUSE OFFICIALS. ALTHOUGH IT WAS INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT THE WORKS OF ART WERE STOLEN ON REQUEST AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE ALREADY HAVE HAD A BUYER, WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME THE INVESTIGATION TOOK A TURN AFTER IT EMERGED THAT A SCULPTURE BY CHILLIDA HAD ENDED UP IN A JUNKYARD. THE STARTLING REVELATION SHOWS THAT THE THIEVES (THREE MASKED MEN WHO DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO SWITCH OFF THE ALARMS) WERE MET WITH A COMMODITY THEY DID NOT EXPECT AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO WITH IT. ACCORDING TO THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION, THE THIEVES TRANSFERRED THE WORKS TO A VAN AFTER LEAVING THE TRUCK. THE INVESTIGATING OFFICERS INITIALLY FOUND A WORK BY CHILLIDA, THE THIEVES HAD SOLD IT AT A JUNKYARD IN MADRID FOR $50. THE LEAD ALLOWED THEM TO FIND 33 OF THE STOLEN ARTWORKS IN A VAN. ALL THE STOLEN MATERIAL IS IN GOOD CONDITION AND MOST OF WERE PROTECTED IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. ONLY ONE OF THE BOXES WAS RECOVERED BROKEN. THE OWNER OF THE JUAN GRIS GALLERY, THE FINAL DESTINATION OF THE STOLEN ART, ACKNOWLEDGED THE 'UNEXPECTED' NEWS. DAVID FERNANDEZ BRASO CONFESSED THAT 'HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE' TO RECOVER THE WORKS AND THAT IT WAS 'A ROBBERY DONE BY PROFESSIONALS'. IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT IT WAS QUITE THE OPPOSITE.

THIEVES TRY TO SELL STOLEN ARTWORK AT SCRAPYARD

FOLLOWING A US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT'S (ICE) HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS (HSI) INVESTIGATION, THE UNITED STATES HAS ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, OHIO, THAT PROVIDES FOR THE RETURN TO A ROYAL FAMILY IN GERMANY OF THE 'NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND', A FAMED SWAN SERVICE COLLECTION'S CENTERPIECE. DURING WORLD WAR II, WHILE ON LOAN TO THE DRESDEN MUSEUM FROM THE FAMILY OF THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF SAXONY, THE 'NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND' WAS STOLEN FROM A CASTLE WHERE IT WAS HIDDEN. THE PORCELAIN PIECE, VALUED AT MORE THAN $1 MILLION, WAS RECENTLY LOCATED AT THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, WHICH HAS AGREED TO RETURN IT TO THE HEIRS OF THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER. IN 1737, COUNT HEINRICH VON BRUEHL, THE PRIME MINSTER OF SAXONY AND THE FOUNDING PATRON OF THE MEISSEN PORCELAIN FACTORY, ORDERED THE FACTORY'S CHIEF MODELER TO CREATE A ROYAL DINNER SERVICE. THE RESULT, FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING, WAS THE SWAN SERVICE, A SERVICE FOR 100 COMPRISING 2,200 PIECES. THE NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND, PART OF THE CENTERPIECE ARRANGEMENT, IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MASTERPIECES OF THE COLLECTION. IN AUGUST 1920, THE DRESDEN MUSEUM RECEIVED 25 PIECES FROM THE SWAN SERVICE, INCLUDING THE NEREID STAND, ON PERMANENT LOAN FROM THE VON BRUEHL FAMILY. THESE PIECES AND 12 OTHERS FROM THE SWAN SERVICE DONATED TO THE MUSEUM AFTER 1920, WERE HIDDEN AT THE REICHSTAEDT CASTLE IN GERMANY DURING WORLD WAR II. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR, THE BOXES WERE FOUND OPENED WITH THE NEREID STAND AND SEVERAL OTHER PIECES MISSING. IN 1955, THE STAND WAS PURCHASED FROM A EUROPEAN ART DEALER, SUBSEQUENTLY IMPORTED INTO THE UNITED STATES, AND SOLD TO THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART. RECENTLY, THE STAND WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE STOLEN NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND AFTER BEING EXAMINED BY STAFF FROM THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, THE DRESDEN MUSEUM, THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART AND SPECIAL AGENTS FROM ICE AND HSI.

TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART RETURNS NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND TO HEIRS

FOLLOWING A US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT'S (ICE) HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS (HSI) INVESTIGATION, THE UNITED STATES HAS ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, OHIO, THAT PROVIDES FOR THE RETURN TO A ROYAL FAMILY IN GERMANY OF THE 'NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND', A FAMED SWAN SERVICE COLLECTION'S CENTERPIECE. DURING WORLD WAR II, WHILE ON LOAN TO THE DRESDEN MUSEUM FROM THE FAMILY OF THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF SAXONY, THE 'NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND' WAS STOLEN FROM A CASTLE WHERE IT WAS HIDDEN. THE PORCELAIN PIECE, VALUED AT MORE THAN $1 MILLION, WAS RECENTLY LOCATED AT THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, WHICH HAS AGREED TO RETURN IT TO THE HEIRS OF THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER. IN 1737, COUNT HEINRICH VON BRUEHL, THE PRIME MINSTER OF SAXONY AND THE FOUNDING PATRON OF THE MEISSEN PORCELAIN FACTORY, ORDERED THE FACTORY'S CHIEF MODELER TO CREATE A ROYAL DINNER SERVICE. THE RESULT, FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING, WAS THE SWAN SERVICE, A SERVICE FOR 100 COMPRISING 2,200 PIECES. THE NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND, PART OF THE CENTERPIECE ARRANGEMENT, IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MASTERPIECES OF THE COLLECTION. IN AUGUST 1920, THE DRESDEN MUSEUM RECEIVED 25 PIECES FROM THE SWAN SERVICE, INCLUDING THE NEREID STAND, ON PERMANENT LOAN FROM THE VON BRUEHL FAMILY. THESE PIECES AND 12 OTHERS FROM THE SWAN SERVICE DONATED TO THE MUSEUM AFTER 1920, WERE HIDDEN AT THE REICHSTAEDT CASTLE IN GERMANY DURING WORLD WAR II. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR, THE BOXES WERE FOUND OPENED WITH THE NEREID STAND AND SEVERAL OTHER PIECES MISSING. IN 1955, THE STAND WAS PURCHASED FROM A EUROPEAN ART DEALER, SUBSEQUENTLY IMPORTED INTO THE UNITED STATES, AND SOLD TO THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART. RECENTLY, THE STAND WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE STOLEN NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND AFTER BEING EXAMINED BY STAFF FROM THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, THE DRESDEN MUSEUM, THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART AND SPECIAL AGENTS FROM ICE AND HSI.

TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART RETURNS NEREID SWEETMEAT STAND TO HEIRS

AUTHORITIES ARE RAMPING UP THEIR EFFORT TO SOLVE A MANHATTAN MYSTERY: WHO DRILLED A HOLE INTO THE HOME OF A BEEF FORTUNE HEIR AND STOLE A COLLECTION OF ICONIC ARTWORKS BY ROY LICHTENSTEIN AND ANDY WARHOL. THE THIEVES ALSO MADE OFF WITH SURVEILLANCE VIDEO FOOTAGE THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT THEM IN THE ACT. THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT RELEASED IMAGES OF THE ART, HOPING SOMEONE MIGHT HELP SOLVE LAST MONTH'S CRIME IN THE TRENDY MEATPACKING DISTRICT BY RECOGNIZING WORKS LIKE THE WELL-KNOWN LICHTENSTEIN PRINT CALLED 'THINKING NUDE'. AUTHORITIES ESTIMATE THE FIVE-STORY APARTMENT WAS BURGLARIZED SOMETIME DURING THANKSGIVING WEEK, WHEN THE OWNER AND ART COLLECTOR ROBERT ROMANOFF WAS AWAY. ALSO TAKEN FROM THE BUILDING WAS A LICHTENSTEIN PRINT CALLED 'MOONSCAPE', THE CARL FUDGE OIL PAINTING 'LIVE CAT', THE WARHOL PRINTS 'THE TRUCK' AND 'SUPERMAN', AND A SET OF EIGHT SIGNED WARHOL PRINTS FROM 1968 CALLED 'CAMOUFLAGE'. THEY'RE AMONG THE ARTIST'S LAST WORKS BEFORE HIS DEATH THE FOLLOWING YEAR. AUTHORITIES ESTIMATE THE ARTWORKS, PLUS A STOLEN CARTIER AND ROLEX WATCHES AND OTHER JEWELRY, ARE WORTH OVER $750,000. THE ROMANOFF HOME IS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD FILLED WITH OLD WAREHOUSES AND MEATPACKING COMPANIES NOW TURNED INTO RETAIL AND LIVING SPACE, RESTAURANTS AND BOUTIQUES. POLICE SAY THE THIEF DRILLED A HOLE THROUGH THE WALL OF A HALLWAY SOMETIME BETWEEN 24-28.NOVEMBER. LICHTENSTEIN, WHO DIED IN 1997, CREATED 'THINKING NUDE' IN 1994, ONE OF 40 ILLUSTRATED EDITION WORKS THAT ARE PART OF HIS 'NUDES' SERIES BASED ON COMIC-BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS. A SIMILAR PRINT RECENTLY SOLD FOR $85,000 AT CHRISTIE'S, ACCORDING TO THE AUCTION HOUSE'S WEBSITE. WARHOL'S 'SUPERMAN' PRINT IS PART OF HIS 1980s 'MYTHS' SERIES FEATURING FICTIONAL CHARACTERS WITH MASS-CULTURAL APPEAL, INCLUDING MICKEY MOUSE AND UNCLE SAM.

POLICE SEARCH FOR STOLEN NEW YORK ART COLLECTION