Major art theft in Rotterdam, ‘several’ important works taken

‘Several’ important works of art of ‘considerable value’ have been stolen from Rotterdam’s Kunsthal art gallery in an overnight burglary.


Police and gallery staff are currently assessing the size of the haul following last night’s raid on the Kunsthal complex on Rotterdam’s Westzeedijk.
According to the Telegraaf, a number of the stolen works were taken from the Avant-Gardes show featuring paintings from the Triton Foundation collection. The pictures on display include works by Pablo Picasso, Karel Appel, Salvador Dali, Vincent van Gogh, Marcel Duchamp, Piet Mondriaan and Lucian Freud.
Local television station RTV Rijnmond is reporting that Reading Girl by Henri Matisse is one of the paintings which has been taken. A photograph by news agency ANP shows an empty space on the wall with a label indicating the painting was a Matisse.
Anniversary
The exhibition opened on October 7 and forms part of the Kunsthal’s 20th anniversary celebrations. A number of important bronzes are also on show.
Police and museum staff have so far declined to give details of which works have been taken. According to one report on Twitter, a number of paintings have been simply plucked from the walls.
The Kunsthal describes the Triton collections as one which ‘comprises representative works by the most important and influential artists of the late nineteenth century to the present day’.
More to follow

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