Masterful museum heists that made modern history and brought fame to art masterpieces (11 photos)

For the second day, the world has been gripped by news of a daring heist at the Louvre. But despite the extraordinary nature of the event, this is far from the first robbery at Europe's oldest museum.





As have a number of other treasures of world culture, which have been visited by famous and not-so-famous thieves seeking to plunder. How did these raids ultimately end for the robbers, the museums, and the stolen masterpieces?

1. A Timeless Masterpiece Reborn into a New World



The Louvre

Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," the Louvre's crown jewel today, wasn't as well-known to the general public before its theft in 1911.

"Mona Lisa" (full title: "Portrait of Mrs. Lisa del Giocondo") by Leonardo da Vinci, exact date unknown

Former museum employee Vincenzo Peruggia, hiding inside the building, smuggled the portrait out of the gallery unhindered. News of the masterpiece's theft made headlines worldwide, and its discovery two years later in Florence, when the thief attempted to sell the painting, finally made Leonardo's masterpiece the most famous painting in the world.

2. The Fate of the Portrait of a Dutch Artist



Dulwich Picture Gallery in London

Rembrandt's "Portrait of Jacob de Gheyn III" holds the unofficial title of the most stolen painting in history, earning it the nickname "The Takeaway Rembrandt." This unique record has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. Since 1966, the work of art has been illegally removed from the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London four times, but each time it has been returned, where it remains today.



"Portrait of Jacob de Gheyn III" by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1632

The van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece holds the record for the most thefts. This large altarpiece has been stolen seven times, including by Napoleon's troops and Nazi looters during World War II.

3. Irreparable Loss



Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston

The 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston remains the largest in US history and remains unsolved. Posing as police officers, the thieves entered the building, overpowered the guards, and stole 13 priceless works, including works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Degas, in 81 minutes.



"The Concert" by Johannes Vermeer, painted between 1663 and 1666

Vermeer's "The Concert" is considered one of the most expensive lost paintings. Its potential value is estimated at half a billion dollars. Some paintings, such as Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of ​​Galilee," were barbarically cut from their frames. These empty frames hang in the museum to this day as a symbol of irreparable loss.

4. A Lucky Chance



Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has been the site of two high-profile robberies in its history. In 2002, thieves used a ladder to enter the building and stole two paintings. Fourteen years later, these paintings were recovered in Italy during a sting operation against the Neapolitan mafia and returned to the museum.



"The Potato Eaters" by Vincent van Gogh, 1885

An even larger theft occurred in 1991, when 20 works with an estimated value of over 400 million euros were stolen from the museum, including the famous masterpiece "The Potato Eaters." Fortunately, the stolen paintings were quickly recovered. They were found in an abandoned car near the museum.

5. Logical Conclusion



"Green Vault"

In 2019, a daring robbery occurred at the Dresden Green Vault, one of Europe's oldest museums. The criminals smashed a display case and stole three unique sets of 18th-century royal jewels, studded with diamonds.



Fragment of a ruby ​​set

Museum representatives called these heritage items priceless, noting that they were impossible to sell on the open market. Several years later, a significant portion of the loot was recovered and returned. Following a trial, five of the theft participants were found guilty and convicted.