Monday, June 20, 2011

Heists in the news

Art administration won the day last month when Italian police stopped a couple of guys in a car and found a Morandi in the boot. As both the men had criminal convictions it seemed a little suspicious, so the police searched their ‘business premises’. That turned up a Balthus, a Warhol and a Leger amongst others. No matter, the two continued to steadfastly insist the paintings belonged to them. Then one of the police looked at the back of one of the paintings. ‘Tate” said the label for a touring exhibition. It turned out the lender was in fact collector Paola Folon of Monaco who now has his paintings back again.