The Atlas of Art Crime: Thefts, Vandalism, and Forgeries

Mapping out the world’s infamous art thefts, forgeries, and acts of vandalism, this unique and visually striking reference illuminates the prevalence, motivations, and consequences of art crime in every corner of the globe.

Art history is filled with stories of art crime—but the depth and breadth of these incidents is not generally understood. The first book of its kind, this atlas illustrates and contextualizes nearly one hundred incidents in a unique format that allows readers to visualize the geography of art crime from the past two centuries. While the most famous crimes have occurred in Europe, this book includes malfeasance and scandals that took place in dozens of countries, including Egypt, Mexico, China, Australia, and Brazil.

Divided into sections on thefts, vandalism, and forgeries, the chapters are sub-divided by continent with maps of the regions. Each crime is profiled with an absorbing narrative and images of the artworks, perpetrators, and scenes of the crime. Additional sidebars feature compelling information about the artist and/or the subjects of the work of art. Including world-renowned crimes such as the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, the 1975 attach on Rembrandt’s Night Watch at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and Han van Meegeren’s forgery of Vermeer’s The Supper at Emmaus in 1937, this book also includes lesser known incidents: the theft of the ruby slippers from the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota; a security guard arrested for vandalizing paintings at the Yeltsin Center in Yekaterinburg, Russia; and a Chinese librarian who stole 143 paintings by famous Chinese artists and replaced them with his own fakes. Filled with intrigue, controversies, and power dynamics this is a captivating exploration of the darker side of art history that reveals its surprisingly global reach.

About the Author

Laura Evans is a Distinguished Teaching Professor and the Coordinator of the Art Museum Education Certificate at the University of North Texas, Denton. She teaches about art museums, art interpretation, art appreciation, and art crime, and has published widely in journals and books. She has worked at art museums throughout the world from the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts in Western Australia to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, with many more in between. She has also collaborated with museums around the United States, such as the Kimbell Museum of Art in Fort Worth and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, to provide museology trainings.

Author Residence: North Texas, Denton

Author Hometown: North Texas, Denton