The Art Thief

The Art Thief is a book about obsession, hoarding, and the insatiable desire to steal precious artifacts. The one aspect that makes this story a bit unique is the fact that the main thief does not take the antiquities to sell; he displays them to admire them in an attic imbedded in a typical suburban neighborhood.

Stéphane Breitwieser and his girlfriend stole over 200 items from museums, fairs, auctions, and cathedrals across Europe for nearly a decade. They circumvented authorities by picking up less-known items using only a standard Swiss army knife and a bit of luck.

The art they steal is varied. An ivory sculpture in Belgium, a tobacco holder, a bugle, some paintings, and a few large sculptures, to name a few. Most of their work is spontaneous and only takes a few minutes. Sometimes they steal several items per day!

But as Breitwieser gets older and the scores get larger in scope, Anne-Catherine eventually wants more stability in their relationship. If he gets caught, she is an accomplice and will be brought to justice as well.

It eventually all comes crashing down, and the authorities start putting the pieces together. Will the couple make it off Scott-free? What happens to the art room if they get caught? The story ends at a fairly recent date, and if the track record of Breitwieser stands, I am sure there will be more to the tale in the near future.

I read an interview with the author about the book, and although admiration is not the word I would choose, the quote is fairly spot on:

“Every reader can have a different opinion at the end between admiration and disgust, and nobody's wrong.”

*Read with the witty, cunning, and intrepid, Helga. Thank you for talking thievery and art! :)