LOOTED! Art History through the Stolen Object

Art theft has fascinated public imagination for centuries. Throughout history, looted art has been utilized to finance military missions, stock personal collections, and increase wealth. In the 20th and 21st centuries, extremists have stolen and destroyed art in an attempt to erase cultural history. And more recently, criminal groups have utilized art as a means of currency as cash becomes increasingly hard to use for illegal activity. This panel will investigate four case of stolen art in the 20th century: the theft of Cellini\u27s Salt Cellar (1543); Carl Fabrege\u27s Hen Egg (1885); Rembrandt\u27s The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633); and Gustav Klimt\u27s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II (1912). Students will contextualize the artworks by discussing their historical significance and discuss the criminal cases of each artwork