playing card A4: Velázquez: La mulata (1618)
April 14, 2020
playing card F3: Camille Corot: Le Chemin de Sèvres (1865)
April 15, 2020
Rembrandt: Girl leaning at a window (1645)
completed
stolen
longest side (cm)
est. value ($ mill.)
The Theft from Rembrandt van Rijn's painting: Young Girl at the Window
The important painter Rembrandt van Rijn was born in Leiden on July 15, 1606 and died in Amsterdam on October 4, 1669. The artwork “Young Girl at the Window” was stolen from the Dulwich Picture Gallery on December 31, 1966.
Description of Rembrandt's Masterpiece “Girls at the Window” (1645)
A young girl is resting on a table with her arms folded slightly. Your gaze is directed towards the viewer. Her skin is pale and her cheeks flushed. The intensity of the colors and the ambiguity of the meaning of Rembrandt's paintings should be emphasized. To date, there is disagreement about who the painted girl should be. She is probably a simple girl that Rembrandt used as a body study for his masterpiece. The dimensions of the oil painting are 81.8 x 66.2 cm. The painting is valued at least $ 35 million.
Famous art robbery: The oil painting Young Girl at the Window was created by Rembrandt in 1645. It has a market value of EUR 28 million.
The story of Rembrandt's masterpiece from 1645
For a long time, the painting was mistakenly viewed as the work of a Rembrandt student. Probably in the 17th century, the top of the artwork was trimmed to create a semicircular circle. Roger de Piles acquired the oil painting in 1693. In 1748 the oil painting in Paris was sold to M. Angran, Viscount de Fonspertius. On December 10, 1776 ownership passed to Blondel de Gagny, a few years later to an unknown English businessman, probably Lord Polwarth. It was then sold by Christie’s in London to Noel Desenfans until it was purchased by Sir Francis Bourgeois in 1811. Painter and art dealer Sir Francis Bourgois inherited the legacy of Noel Desenfans in 1807, with whom he previously founded the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London.
The art robbery from Rembrandt's “Girl at the Window”
On December 31, 1966, some thieves broke into the Dulwich Picture Gallery by drilling and removing a rarely used door measuring approximately 30 x 60 cm from the outside. This circumvented the alarm system, which was only activated at the entrances and exits. Because of the diameter of this small opening, only small or frameless paintings could be stolen, including Rembrandt's “Jacob de Gheyn III” from 1632 and Paul Rubens “The Three Graces” from 1635. At that time, the stolen works of art had a total value of at least 7 Million pounds. Almost 50 years later, Rembrandt's “Jacob de Gheyn III” alone has a value of around EUR 38 million. The museum director only offered a reward of £ 1,000 for the restoration of the paintings.
A few days later, a trail to the thieves was found under the direction of chief detective Charles Hewett. Unemployed ambulance driver Michael Hall was the only thief arrested and sentenced to five years in prison.