Thieves hit the MPV Gallery in Oisterwijk, Netherlands, Thursday night, walking away with two screen prints from Andy Warhol’s 1985 series “Reigning Queens” while damaging two others in an “amateurish” art heist.
The stolen prints feature portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Those almost stolen but damaged in the effort included one of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Ntombi Tfwala, the Queen Mother of Eswatini.
The thieves abandoned the latter two in the street when they realized they couldn’t fit the portraits in their getaway car. So, a little word of advice to any aspiring art thieves out there: measure twice, steal once. And maybe get a roomier getaway vehicle.
Gallery owner Mark Peet Visser seemed deeply unimpressed with the theft attempt, calling it “amateurish.” The thieves, not ones for subtlety, exploded open the gallery’s door, causing damage to the building and nearby shops.
“The bomb attack was so violent that my entire building was destroyed,” he went on to say. The entire thing was captured on security cameras.
Visser would not give details on the exact value of the stolen Warhols and damaged but did mention that they were going to be up for sale at an upcoming art fair in Amsterdam. It should be noted that these are not originals. They are prints. Multiple copies exist. They likely have some value, but the thieves might as well have jacked a 500-piece puzzle of the Mona Lisa.
Police are canvassing for witnesses and forensic experts are assessing the damaged gallery for any clues regarding the thieves’ identities and whereabouts.
The post 2 Andy Warhol Prints Damaged, 2 Stolen in Botched Art Heist appeared first on VICE.
The post 2 Andy Warhol Prints Damaged, 2 Stolen in Botched Art Heist appeared first on VICE.
