Crimes of the Art World

This book offers a revealing look at the full scope of criminal activity in the art world-a category of crime that is far more pervasive than is generally realized.

Forgeries, fakes, fencing, and felony theft-all are pervasive problems in the world of art, where the stakes are high, the networks wide, and the consequences profound. In recent years, suspicious acquisitions, unreliable provenances, and shady dealers have found their way into the headlines as museums and private collections have been confronted with everything from fake pieces to stolen antiquities to plain old theft and vandalism. Crimes of the Art World captures the full scope of this staggeringly lucrative field of criminal conduct, showing how its impact reaches well beyond the walls of the museum.

Filled with fascinating stories of crime and greed, this revealing volume looks at case after case of thefts, forgeries, fakes, and illicit trafficking, as well as the political/religious victimization of art, white-collar art crime, and vandalism. The book examines each type of crime in terms of frequency, losses, and characteristics of victims and criminals. Concluding chapters focus on preventive measures, art crime investigation, and security issues.

Comprises 10 chapters covering the various types of crimes common in the art world, from forgeries to theft to vandalism

Includes case studies throughout to explore the characteristics of art crime

Provides a bibliography of important books on the subject of art crime

An index of important words and terms emphasizes works of art and artists covered in the book, along with terms unique to art and art crime