On Thursday, 11 August, the excellent BBC Radio program “Front Row with John Wilson” focuses on art theft, with discussions of stolen Rembrandts, Turners, the Mona Lisa, and Goya’s “Portrait of the Duke of Wellington.”  The occasion is the 100th anniversary of the Mona Lisa theft and the 50th anniversary of the Goya theft from London’s National Gallery, both of which were stolen on 21 August (1911 and 1961 respectively).

The radio show will feature an interview with Sandy Nairne, director of London’s National Portrait Gallery and author of a new book, “Art Theft and the Case of the Stolen Turners,” which chronicles his involvement in the recovery of Turner paintings that were stolen while on loan from the Tate in Germany.  Dr. Nairne and I spoke together, along with Vernon Rapley, last April at an event at the V&A Museum in London, discussing art crime.  Dr. Nairne also has a very good article about the 1961 Goya theft in The Guardian, which may be accessed here.

I will also appear on “Front Row” on Thursday discussing the Goya case.  You can tune in to the radio show at 7:15pm London time here.  I am co-authoring a book on this case, so more information will be forthcoming.

The Guardian also published a good summary of the 1911 Mona Lisa theft by Laura Cumming, which you can read here.  If you are interested in learning more about the Mona Lisa theft and other crimes in its history, you can read my newest book, The Thefts of the Mona Lisa, the sale of which supports charity.

Tags: art crime, art theft, art theft and the case of the stolen turners, bbc front row, duke of wellington theft, Front Row with John Wilson, goya theft, mona lisa theft, national gallery theft, noah charney, sandy nairne, secret history of art, stolen goya, stolen turners, theft of mona lisa, thefts of the mona lisa