Art thefts saw a significant increase during the 1970s, a period marked by a booming art market and noticeable weaknesses in museum security. This surge in crime, often involving high-value paintings, changed how institutions and law enforcement approached cultural heritage protection.
Key Takeaways
- Art heists increased sharply in the 1970s.
- The rising value of art made it a target for criminals.
- Museums often had insufficient security measures.
- New film, The Mastermind, explores a 1972 robbery.
The Worcester Art Museum Robbery of 1972
In May 1972, two individuals entered the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts. They left with four paintings by Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, and a work believed to be by Rembrandt. The thieves held high school students at gunpoint and shot a security guard during the incident.
The stolen artworks were valued at $2 million, which was approximately £1.5 million at the time. The New York Times described this event as one of the largest art robberies in modern history.
Some experts suggest this heist may have influenced the more famous 1990 theft at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. That later crime resulted in the loss of $500 million (£370 million) worth of art, making it the most expensive theft in US history. The 1990 case remains unsolved.
Key Fact
The 1972 Worcester Art Museum heist involved paintings valued at $2 million, considered a major art theft for its time.
The Mastermind Behind the Crime
The Worcester heist was planned by Florian "Al" Monday, a career criminal. However, the two men he hired for the actual raid openly discussed their actions in a local bar. This led to their capture.
Within a month, authorities recovered the paintings from a pig farm in Rhode Island. They were then returned to the museum. Writer-director Kelly Reichardt, whose new film The Mastermind is inspired by these events, noted Monday's earlier career.
"Ironically, Monday – before he was an art thief – had a band, and I have the 45 of his record," Kelly Reichardt told the BBC.
Reichardt's film, released in the US this weekend, draws inspiration from the Worcester robbery's aftermath and the broader trend of art heists throughout the 1970s.
Film Inspiration
The Mastermind focuses on JB Mooney, an art school dropout turned carpenter. He plans a heist at a fictional museum. The film aims to show the less glamorous side of art crime, contrasting with popular, sensationalized heist movies.
A Decade of Art Thefts
The 1970s witnessed several high-profile art thefts beyond Worcester. These incidents highlighted a growing vulnerability in cultural institutions worldwide.
Just months after the Worcester Art Museum robbery, Canada experienced its largest art theft. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts was targeted by three armed robbers. They stole $2 million (£1.5 million) worth of paintings, jewels, and other valuable items.
Across the Atlantic, in 1976, 119 of Picasso's final works were stolen from France's Palais des Papes. Three thieves took these pieces during an exhibition.
The Rose Dugdale Case
Another notable case involved Rose Dugdale, an Oxford University graduate who became an Irish republican activist. In 1974, she and several Irish Republican Army (IRA) members stole 19 paintings from Ireland's Russborough House.
The stolen works included pieces by Johannes Vermeer and Peter Paul Rubens. Dugdale used the paintings as ransom, hoping to secure the release of imprisoned IRA members. Joe Lawlor, co-director of the 2023 film Baltimore about Dugdale, commented on the crime.
"There was something incredibly well organised about it and really badly thought out. They are so driven but completely blind to the wider political reality," Lawlor told Cineuropa.
Why Art Heists Exploded in the 1970s
Art historian Tom Flynn points to a key factor for the increase in heists during the 1970s: the boom of the art market. This decade saw a significant shift in how society viewed artworks.
According to Flynn, the launch of the BBC TV show Antiques Roadshow in 1977, which featured experts appraising art, contributed to this change. "It's a cultural change where we start to see works of art as the equivalent of money," he explained.
Criminals also recognized the weaknesses in museum security. News reports from the early 1970s often highlighted funding "crises" for museums. These issues led to security cutbacks, particularly during periods of high inflation.
Market Impact
The 1970s art market boom made paintings more attractive as targets for thieves, who increasingly saw them as a form of currency.
Security Lapses and Easy Targets
Earlier thefts demonstrated how vulnerable museums were. In 1961, Francisco Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington was stolen from London's National Gallery. In 1966, three Rembrandts disappeared from Dulwich Picture Gallery.
These incidents showed that it could be relatively easy to remove a painting from a gallery wall without detection. Museum security staff often lacked proper training and were rarely armed. Reichardt described some security personnel as "dozy 'retirees' or 'acid heads'."
She also noted architectural features that aided criminals. "Museums used to have these cool circular drives out front, which made the getaway pretty handy," Reichardt stated.
The FBI Art Crime Team, responsible for recovering millions of dollars in stolen art, was not established until 2004. This meant that in the 1970s, specialized law enforcement resources for art crime were limited.
The Allure of the Art Robber
The 1960s and 1970s also saw the emergence of the art robber as a "lovable rogue" in popular culture. This archetype resonated with a public experiencing widespread disillusionment due to events like the Vietnam War and the Nixon administration.
Films such as 1964's Topkapi, 1966's How to Steal a Million, and Gambit helped to glamorize these characters. They often portrayed art thieves as clever individuals outsmarting the system.
According to historical author Susan Ronald, who specializes in art crime, this cultural trend reflected an anti-authority sentiment. "Part of [the appeal of these characters] is [their] outsmarting the establishment," Ronald explained.
"The fact that art heists usually don't involve private individuals makes it more acceptable. It's an institution, and there's something quite daring about it."
Misconceptions and Consequences
The glamorization of art thieves led to some misconceptions, including the idea that art theft is a "victimless crime." However, experts argue this view is incorrect.
"We don't take it seriously enough," said Tom Flynn. He noted that criminals often receive lenient sentences for what are significant cultural crimes. "But because it's art, we don't think it's so important."
The Mastermind aims to challenge these romanticized notions. The film shows the protagonist, JB, through the eyes of his wife, Terri, and a former classmate, Maude. These women bear the burden of his actions and highlight the personal cost of his "freedom."
Modern Challenges
Today, major public museum robberies are less common. Criminals have realized that stolen artworks are difficult to sell. However, heritage consultant Vernon Rapley warns that recent funding cuts could weaken museum security again. He also suggests that climate change and building decay pose greater long-term threats to art than criminals do.