1.4m painting 'expertly removed'

1.4m painting 'expertly removed'
By staff writers and wires
June 14, 2007 11:54am
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Painting by 17th-century Dutch artist
Given to gallery by philanthropist James Fairfax
Whiteley painting sells for record price
A THIEF was able to take a $1.4 million painting from the wall of a major art gallery during opening hours and flee unnoticed with it after "expertly removing it from its mounting", police said today.
The painting - a small self-portrait called A Cavalier (Self Portrait) by 17th-century Dutch artist Frans van Mieris I - was stolen on June 10 from the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Police say the thief struck between 10am and 12.30pm, when the gallery would have been open to visitors.
Gallery spokeswoman Susanne Briggs said the entire work – including the timber frame – had been carefully unscrewed from the wall.
However, the theft was not reported to police until the next day, because staff had looked for the missing artwork in the gallery's storage facilities. Security is now being reviewed.
CCTV footage from the gallery is also being checked, but police say there were no cameras in the small room from where the painting was taken.
Security measures
Gallery director Edmund Capon said: "I am deeply shocked. Well over a million people visit the Gallery each year and this is a very rare occurrence as the security measures at the Gallery are sound and proven."
Police superintendent Simon Hardman said: “This is an extremely valuable and important piece of artwork and it’s believed to have been painted in 1657-59.
“The artwork is relatively small, approximately A3 in size including the lacquered timber frame (297mm x 420mm). It appears someone has expertly removed it from its mounting and taken it from the gallery.
“Someone must know about the theft or may have been in the area at the time and noticed someone acting suspiciously."
Police said gallery staff had been interviewed and had not been ruled out of the investigation.
The Australian Customs Service and Interpol have also been notified of the theft.
The missing Dutch painting was one of a number of works donated to the gallery by philanthropist James Fairfax.
'Foolish' theft
Robert Goldman, special investigator with the FBI Art Crime Team in the US said the painting would be extremely difficult to sell because news of the theft would spread around the world very quickly.
"Thieves of this nature are quite foolish, I think," he said.
"This (the report of the theft) came across my desk in Philadelphia this morning and art galleries, collectors etc will know very quickly that this is a stolen piece of art and very foolish for them to buy.
"Hopefully they realise this and realise that they're not going to be able to sell it and then somehow or other return the paintings."
Mr Goldman said one theory was that the artworks had been stolen by thieves working on consignment for a private collector.
"There are collectors out there that don't care if the items are stolen," he said.
According to AGNSW provenance records, Mr Fairfax purchased the oil-on-oak painting from distinguished London dealer Agnew's in 1988. He gave it to the AGNSW in 1993, where until recently it was displayed in the Fairfax Galleries along with paintings by Rubens and Bronzino.
Mr Capon said the artwork risked damage if it was not kept in a climate-controlled environment.
Record price for WhiteleyThe theft took the gloss off a new record for an Australian art auction, with a Brett Whiteley painting selling for $3.48 million last night.
The Olgas for Ernest Giles - a lush Whiteley painting in which the outback is depicted as a series of buttocks, breasts and other sexual body parts - was bought by art consultant John Playfoot. He was thought to be acting on behalf of Melbourne businessman Morry Fraid, co-owner of the Spotlight haberdashery store chain.
The painting, which was the gem of the Deutscher-Menzies auction, pipped the previous Australian art auction record of $3.36 million, set at Sotheby's May sale by John Brack's The Old Time.
Deutscher-Menzies proprietor Rod Menzies said last night he was "exhilarated" by the sale of the Whiteley.
"I always felt the picture was going to break the record," he told The Australian. "I'm extremely pleased with tonight's result - not just with that picture, but with the results on all the other pictures."
With AAP and The Australian