Art in Demand. The Most Notorious Thefts of Masterpieces

«Mona Lisa» by Leonardo da Vinci, «The Scream» by Edvard Munch, «The Mute» by Raphael — what do these paintings have in common, besides the fact that they are all world masterpieces? They share the fact that they have all once been in the hands of art hunters. The theft of an artwork is also a kind of art. Readers will encounter true crime stories from the lives of professional cultural value thieves and desperate adventurers who outsmart museum guards and alarm systems, substituting originals with copies, and so on.

Fortunately, a significant portion of the stolen items is returned to their owners. This happens because art carabinieri get involved in the case. Such a police department, which investigates exclusively crimes related to artworks, exists only in Italy — a country where thefts are reported every day. Fabio Isman, a journalist who has covered high-profile events in Italy for many years and written about art, is personally acquainted with many art carabinieri and is well-informed about the most interesting cases in their work.