Stolen van Gogh painting worth millions recovered by Dutch art detective

ZeroCool@feddit.ch to World News@lemmy.world – 185 points –
Stolen van Gogh painting worth millions recovered by Dutch art detective
abcnews.go.com
13

I had never heard of an "art detective" before today, but that's the coolest job title I've ever heard. It sounds very Indiana Jones-ey. (And yes, I understand it's probably a lot of desk work)

This kind of headline makes me sick: "Work of art worth X currency" - because of course it's only the financial speculative aspect that makes art valuable and no one cares about anything else. Disgusting.

Is it though?

Realistically? I think it very much is. If you can't make money with art either by producing or buying/selling/owning it then pretty much no one cares.

When is the last time you genuinely saw someone care about a work of art breaking new ground, or for it delving into truly novel understanding, or due to it invoking feelings in the recipient?

Like the outrage ober the self-shredding Banksy? Oh noes, so much value destroyed how could he!!1

I mean, original Van Gogh gigs will sell for boatloads of money though. It's not particularly speculative.

Lesser known artists, sure.

I hope he got it laminated before he started handling it.

Honestly I really hope he stole it back but changed the story. Fuck art dealers and thieves.

  • I just reat the article... I still hope someone stole it back and presented r compelling story to the cops about making them look quite good with the story. I know that very unlikely to be what happened but I STILL WANT IT TO BE CANON 😭