Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633) by Rembrandt van RijnIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Stealing an artwork might seem like a plot from a heist movie. But it’s surprisingly common in reality. The reasons behind the thefts are not always clear, and some paintings have simply vanished forever.
Some are still out there somewhere. You never know when and where they might turn up, so keep your eyes peeled. Can you guess the following stolen masterpieces by deciphering the clues?
The Concert (About 1665) by Jan VermeerIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Missing Masterpiece 1
Believed to be the most valuable stolen object in the world, this picture depicting people playing music, was stolen from the Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990 and hasn't been seen since.
In 2015 it was valued at $250 million, so someone is sitting on quite a haul (not that they can sell it on the open market)! Can you guess what it is?
The Concert
Johannes Vermeer
The Ghent Altarpiece: The Just Judges (1939) by Jef Van der VekenOriginal Source: http://www.lukasweb.be/en/photo/the-ghent-altarpiece-open-94
Missing Masterpiece 2
This work went missing from the cathedral in which it was installed in 1934, and a series of ransom notes followed. A local man, Arsène Goedertier, confessed on his deathbed that he knew the location of the missing piece, but said he would take the secret to his grave.
Which he duly did, leaving the mystery unsolved! But can you guess what work we're looking at?
The Just Judges,
by Jan Van Eyck, the lower panel of the 12-Panel Altarpiece at the Saint Bavo Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium
Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633) by Rembrandt van RijnIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Missing Masterpiece 3
This 1633 piece depicts a scene of Jesus calming a storm at sea. Incredibly, it was also stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990, along with the Vermeer and 11 others.
Two men gained entry to the building pretending to be police officers and committed the heist, taking an estimated $500 million worth of art. But which of the stolen paintings is this?
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee
Rembrandt
Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, known as "Monna Lisa, la Gioconda" or "Mona Lisa", 1503-1519 (1503/1519) by Leonardo di ser Piero DA VINCI, dit Léonard de Vinci (1452 - 1519), Paris, musée du LouvreOriginal Source: Paris, Louvre Museum
Missing Masterpiece 4
Now located in the Musee du Louvre in Paris, this is one of the world’s most famous paintings. It was stolen in 1911 but recovered two years later when thief, Vincenzo Peruggia, attempted to sell it. Police at the time even questioned Pablo Picasso!
Estimates put the current value of the painting at around $782 million so let’s hope it doesn’t go missing again. Do you know which painting this is?
Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci
Dutch Room (2016) by Sean DunganIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The Isabella Stewart Gardner museum keeps the frames of the stolen paintings empty, waiting to welcome them home. Learn more about the museum and the heist here.
