Posted on 08/31/2006 5:55:48 PM PDT by mathprof
Edvard Munch’s paintings “The Scream” and “Madonna,” which two armed robbers yanked from the wall of a museum here in August 2004, were recovered in relatively good condition in Norway today.
No new arrests were made today, and the case remains far from solved, although three of six men charged in the theft were found guilty earlier this year of minor roles. The police said little after confirming that the late-19th-century Expressionist pictures were safe. But Norwegians rejoiced in the return of two of their most treasured artworks.
“We’re open for Champagne tonight to anyone who wants to come by and celebrate,” said Knut Forsberg, the chairman of Blomqvist Fine Arts, which served as Munch’s main gallery during his lifetime. By 9 p.m. more than 300 guests had accepted the offer.
Art lovers and public officials said they were relieved not only by the paintings’ recovery but also by the relative lack of damage. Last year, the tabloid newspaper Dagbladet had quoted underworld sources as saying, “The paintings are burned up.”
Iver Stensrud, the assistant chief of the Oslo police, said today, “I have seen the pictures myself, and as for damages, they are far from what we really could have feared.”
Erling Lae, the commissioner of Oslo’s city government, was more specific after meeting with administrators of the Munch Museum, where the pictures were stolen in broad daylight on Aug. 22, 2004, as tourists cowered on the floor.
“We know that both pictures have been handled roughly and that ‘Madonna’ has received a scratch or gouge, but I have been informed that the damages are not irreparable,” he said. “The experience of seeing these works of art will be as great as it was before. What an incredible joy and relief.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Here's a link to the Madonna: http://silencio.weblog.com.pt/images/eyes/Munch-madonna.GIF
That looks just like Madonna, too!
oops, sorry I did search the title :(
http://www.charlesmuench.com/
Here is our modern day Munch.
Maynard Dixon Country award winner.
Is that the best they've got? Lol.
It's one sick crime, stealing art pieces.
People don't condemn it enough, in fact they seem intrigued or even amused by it.
Montrose ping.
Perhaps they will lock these things up now. They are stolen like once a week it seems.
But I like Munch's early work so much better.
Lemme guess, they were found in Munich!
What an odd thing to say about a painting that evokes only trembling and neurosis.
The forgotten Munch, Butt Munch.
Edvard? I thought it was Carpet.
What a clean website design. The paintings look pretty good too.
Is that a velvet Elvis? If not, it could be.
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