Making a dent in the trafficking of stolen art
From their modest Manhattan digs, Constance Lowenthal and her staff do their best to foil the criminals who swipe treasures for a living
- By Helen Dudar
- Smithsonian magazine, September 1995, Subscribe
In the shadowy world of modern thievery, the cachet in loot the next best thing to money may be art. Crooks who couldn't explain the difference between Manet and Monet have discovered painted canvas, archaeological treasures and other works of art. In hot pursuit of these art thieves is the International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR), whose executive director Constance Lowenthal and staff maintain an invaluable computerized repository of data on missing artworks, ranging from masterworks to kitsch, for the purpose of helping victims and police recover purloined goods.
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Comments (1)
I just took my oil painting of lilies on canvas off layaway today, but I recognize a signature that really looks like Claude Monet with 1905 at end of the signature at the bottom right hand corner of the painting and at bottom middle on a little brass plate has Water Lilies on the top line and the bottom line has Claude Monet 1840-1926. I am not sure if it is a fake or real. What do I need to do to know the authenticity? I would appreciate any suggestion you may give me.
Sincerely,
Rachel Heermann
Posted by Rachel B. Heermann on January 6,2011 | 01:27 AM