A Heated Honeymoon with a Taste of Art Crime

I’m finally recovering from the untimeliness of the heatwave that scorched Europe a couple of weeks ago. My new bride Stephanie and I were certain that a late-June trip to London and Paris would spare us a week of New England heat and humidity. But, instead, we spent our days walking those two beautiful cities in temperatures that ranged from 95 to 105 (Fahrenheit…I don’t speak Celsius).

Still, Stephanie graciously agreed to spend some of our time exploring—what else—art theft. I’m very lucky. She’s quite aware of the man she married and his obsession.

We visited Oxford, where we walked the halls of the Ashmolean, the site of an unbelievable theft on New Years Eve 1999 (“The Millennium Heist”). Though the floor from which Cezanne’s View of Auvers-sur-Oise was stolen was closed, it was useful to get a good look at the building and its surroundings, as the thief used the scaffolding on an adjoining building to reach the Ashmolean’s roof. That heist is one that fascinates me endlessly, as it betrays the “ordinary” museum theft and veers towards the Hollywood example. There was a climb through a skylight, a descent into a gallery, and a smoke bomb. The painting has not yet been recovered and remains on the FBI’s list of Top Ten Art Crimes.

We had planned to visit the Louvre. But, on the very day that we had tickets, heat forced its closure. It was strange: our tickets were for 3 p.m. and they announced a 4 p.m. closure. But when we arrived they said “No entry after 2 p.m.” Note to Louvre: still waiting for that refund! Still, I was able to view the second-floor balcony through which thieves entered the Apollo Gallery last October to steal jewels. It is now heavily fortified. One might think “Too little, too late,” but any institution that has been victimized must first shore up the entry point that was utilized by the bad guys.

At the National Gallery in London, we were impressed by the remarkable collection within, as well as by the air conditioning. We made a point to see the famous Duke of Wellington by Goya that was stolen by Kempton Bunton in 1961.

But the true highlight for me was a private tour of Christ Church Picture Gallery at the University of Oxford with our friend DCI James Mather of the Thames Valley Police. The gallery was closed for some work at the time, but curator Jacqueline Thalmann showed all three of us around. I can’t share my photos from that part of the trip, but it was a great privilege to see all of the scene in person and to walk the gorgeous grounds. DCI Mather is a dedicated detective who knows a lot about crime, art theft, and the city he serves. He also knows where to find a good spot for a pint…or pints.

We’re very eager to return to Europe, but this time we are going to do everything we can to ensure that we won’t need a nap every afternoon to recover from the blistering heat.