Museums
Netherlands
Robbery at Kunsthal Rotterdam
Works by Picasso, Monet and Matisse stolen
By Javier Pes. Web only
Published online: 16 October 2012
An empty spot on the gallery's wall. Photo, AFP/ANP Robin Utrecht
Seven pictures by artists including Picasso, Matisse, and Monet, have been been stolen from an art gallery in Rotterdam. Dutch police said that the works, which were on show in the Kunsthal Rotterdam's exhibition "Avant-Gardes: the Collection of the Triton Foundation", were taken early on Tuesday (16 October) at 3.15am. Although the museum's alarm sounded, the thieves had left by the time police arrived. In a statement, the police said that an initial investigation suggests the robbery was well prepared. The works, which include Monet's pastels Waterloo Bridge and Charing Cross Bridge, were collected by the Dutch millionaire Willem Cordia. The large-scale loan exhibition celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Triton Foundation.
Update: we updated this article after the police issued a further statement giving more details about the robbery
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