Detecting Art Forgeries: What Scientific Methods Can We Use?
A word of caution: although these scientific methods can prove a work of art is a fake, they cannot prove that a work of art is authentic. Even if the …
Course: Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime
Art forgery
What constitutes art forgery? Why is it a crime to forge some paintings but not others? And most thought-provokingly, does it even matter if an artwork is fake? In this …
Famous art forgery: Han van Meegeren’s Vermeers
“A gifted technician who has made a sort of composite facsimile of the Renaissance school, he has every virtue except originality.” These words were used to describe the work of …
Unsolved Art Crime: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
13 pieces of stolen art. A $5 million dollar reward. No sign of the masterpieces for more than 25 years. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft. Empty frame at the …
Stealing The Scream: 2004 theft
A daring daylight heist and a return in exchange for candy? At 11:20 am on 22 August 2004 two masked men entered Oslo’s Munch Museum armed with a .357 Magnum …
Stealing The Scream: 1994 theft
“Thanks for the poor security.” In the lead up to the 1994 Olympic games, Norway’s National Museum moved their version of The Scream (#2) from its usual location to a …
Stealing The Scream: Background
A skeletal figure stands on a path next to the sea. The setting sun bathes the dark water in an orange glow. Two figures approach. The moment intensifies, swirls, swells …
Art theft
Who are the thieves and collectors of stolen art? Are they all really tuxedo-wearing, erudite, high society criminal masterminds? Dr Donna Yates explores who commits art theft and why.
Q&A Video: Art Crime
During the first run of this course in January 2016, Donna held a live online session to answer questions about the topic of Antiquities Trafficking. The video of this chat …
Art crime
Why does art attract crime? Because we value art and find it meaningful. Dr Donna Yates discusses the different ways crime intersects with art.
Introducing the team
The following antiquities trafficking and art crime experts contributed to the making of this course. You’ll see some of them in the upcoming videos and others participating in online discussion. …
Why am I here? Introducing your educator
Hi. My name is Donna Yates. I’m an archaeologist and art crime researcher with the Trafficking Culture Project. I’m based at the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research at …
Count the holes: the looting of Apamea, Syria
Once a great city, now just empty holes. An audio recording of this step is available here or at the bottom of the page. Apamea is an ancient city located …
Techniques of neutralisation and the market for antiquities
The stories that criminals tell themselves to justify their actions. An audio recording of this step is available here or at the bottom of the page. In the 1950s, criminologists …
Culture as a Human Right
In an era epitomised by the rise of identity politics and increasing fractionalisation, cultural heritage is often used as a tactical tool in many global conflicts to usurp another’s cultural …