The history of how a work of art came to a museum is often just as interesting as the piece of art itself. Here are two books from our circulating collection that delve into those histories:
According to Sharon Waxman in Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World, the history of major works of antiquity is often shrouded in politics, money and influence. In recent years, museums as revered as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the British Museum in London, and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles have been forced to return art and antiquities to the countries of origin. Waxman follows the often contentious histories, conflicts, and arguments that enmesh these and other museums today. If you are interested in antiquities or art, museums and the people who work there, this would be a good book for you.
The Caravaggio Conspiracy by Peter Watson provides a first person account of the illegal art trade in Italy. In an attempt to follow the flow or stolen art, Watson turned himself into an art buyer who was not particularly concerned with how the art he was acquiring arrived in his hands. Backed up by auction houses, dealers, policemen, and even a priest, Watson traced a stolen Caravaggio and then a work by the 15th century artist Andrea Del Sarto.
The Arkansas State Library also has other books on art, and art theft, including The Rape of Europa by Lynn H. Nicholas and Fake : the story of Elmyr de Hory ; the greatest art forger of our time by Clifford Irving.
