HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN?

[Calliope]

So yes. On Sunday four guys bowl up to Oslo's Munch Museum, in broad daylight, wave some pistols around and walk out with (one of four versions of) The Scream and Madonna; priceless works of art by Edvard Munch.

They were able to do this because the paintings were just hanging on the wall of the museum, with no velvet ropes or glass cases or anything of the sort to protect them.

Now, Munch's work has previously been stolen (and later reacquired) in 1994, which you think would warn museum staff to up the security a little, but theft of artworks is by no means a recent affair.

NOW. While I very much admire the moxy of the thieves for just waltzing up and yoinking priceless works of art that I would very much like to have for myself, I am also very sad that I may never get to see such works up close because of the aforesaid theft. Don't make fun, please, the subject of Art is a very sensitive one.

QUERY TIME. So, what should museums do? They can copy priceless artifacts and display those, while the originals are safely locked away; but of course gazing at them the audience doesn't experience nearly any of the sentiments they may draw from an honest-to-god original exhibit. Alternately, they could make you stand fifty feet from the priceless treasure while guards march to and fro checking for hooligans among the deadbolts and glass panels; displaying the genuine article, but alienating the audience.

WHY IS IT DIFFERENT? WHY WILL I NEVER BE CONTENT STARING AT THE LOUVRE ONLINE EXHIBIT DISPLAY PAGE? WHY DON'T WE TAKE BETTER CARE OF OUR PRICELESS NATIONAL TREASURES? OH OSLO THIEVES, PLEASE RETURN MUNCH'S WORK I'LL BAKE YOU COOKIES DON'T BE MEANIES I HATE YOU COME BACK.

Discuss.

[Shoeberto]

Plastic or glass casings with anti-theft devices. They could even use the casings for climate control to ensure the longevity of the piece.

[-N-]

What makes a sufficiently good forgery less special than the original? There's as much to appreciate in a good forger's skills as there is in a good painter's skills.

[Calliope]

I know, and forgery brings about all sorts of awesome possibilities.

For example - the interpol confiscated tens of thousands of pieces of paper with Salvador Dali's signature on them, which were going to be used in a series of prints he made.

Now, it turns out that there were both Dali forgeries and Dali forgeries with genuine signatures on them in circulation, so everyone went 'uhhh...' and Dali decided he'd just make genuine prints with NO signatures on them that the art dealer people could just authenticate themselves and who wants to lend me ten thousand dollars to buy an authentic Van Gogh from Ebay ?

It's either a forgery, or a very clever original!

I'd make a lousy Art Historian because I'd try to steal all the paintings (for the good of mankind, mind you), and replace them with prints ala Mr Bean.

[escobert]

Plastic or glass casings with anti-theft devices. They could even use the casings for climate control to ensure the longevity of the piece.

I agree.

[Calliope]

NOBODY IS GETTING NEARLY AS EXCITED ABOUT THIS AS THEY SHOULD BE.

Well I feel stupid. No I don't! WE DENOUNCE WE DENOUNCE!

Caaaalm. Caaaalm. It's okay. The Scream never existed because you did not see it, and by that same reasoning I don't need air to breathe and so let's all go to the underwatermelonmanshow and knit one pearl one spam is still spam even if it is an integral part of one's own thread because one has to consider the rest of the board, now run along uma rapete, uma rapete, uma uma uma. Please to be not confusing the indigenous language of my people with she of the Tarentino fame. I should get the flu more often.

[edczxcvbnm]

Its ashame that the piece was stolen...mainly because stuff like this should be 100% preventable. I don't care that much because I don't really care for what most people call 'Art'. I like stuff that looks good. I don't like the picture that was stolen and most more modern art styles.

I guess I just like what is appealing to the eye and could care less what the painter is trying to say...WHAT THE IS UP WITH THAT GIANT RED DOT PAINTING? All I see in it is that 'people are stupid and gullible'.

The art world is stupid. Thanks for reminding me of that.

[fire_of_avalon]

I read somewhere that the paintings were screwed onto the wall. But I suppose that isn't very much prevention. I don't understand how you find buyers for stolen pieces of art. I'd be far to afraid of being found out to buy them.

Besides, I don't like this version. It doesn't have the intensity of the others... or the one I like, at least. But I do like the idea of some kind of virtually impenetrable, transparent case, as long as there's a way to prevent glaring from the lights. Or lasers. Lasers would be neato burrito.

[TheAbominatrix]

I read somewhere that the paintings were screwed onto the wall. But I suppose that isn't very much prevention. I don't understand how you find buyers for stolen pieces of art. I'd be far to afraid of being found out to buy them

Same way they sell babies and nukes. Very rich and discreet clients. If you have the right contacts, you can get anything in the world.

[Shlup]

I, uhm... Put it in a box and don't ever let Nicky see it. That is the only way to protect these priceless pieces.

Or do whatever it is they do to the Constitution.

[Kilika]

museums need more of that velvet rope....man its a life saver...i tell ya

[Calliope]

Same way they sell babies and nukes. Very rich and discreet clients. If you have the right contacts, you can get anything in the world.

It's far too famous to actually sell. The glory is in knowing you've nicked off with it!

[CloudSquallandZidane]

It's far too famous to actually sell. The glory is in knowing you've nicked off with it!

No they'll sell that thing somewhere on the Czech black market. Ya know i hear thay have great deals on Tactical Nukes this time of year.


Im suprised they had the gual to just walk in, in broad daylight grab it and leave. They had to be some hardcore robbers, or really in need of some money.

[Shadow Nexus]

Ah, damn thieves, I mean, I really love The Scream. Again, that was not my favourite version, but it is one of the most wonderful paintings in post-impressionism (or was it expressionism?).

I still hope it will be recovered, most pieces of art tend to be. I really like Edward Munch a lot. But my favourite is Gauguin, if I was to catch someone stealing a Gauguin painting, I'd bite their heads off.

[War Angel]

Im suprised they had the gual to just walk in, in broad daylight grab it and leave. They had to be some hardcore robbers, or really in need of some money.

I'm far more surprised they got away with it. Then again... that IS Norway. Those guards were probably pacifists armed with water-pistols, or something. Using OMG VIOLENCE to stop a crime is wrong, after all. :rolleyes2