The 6 Billion Dollar Trade

Art theft generates about $6 billion a year in revenues, according to Interpol. That makes it No. 3 in illicit commerce, behind drugs and illegal arms. An engaging tour of this little-known world is found in Edward Dolnick's The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and the Hunt for a Missing Masterpiece. Dolnick shows that the risk-to-reward ratio is in the thieves' favor. After coughing up millions to buy masterpieces, museums and collectors spend little to protect them. Any hood with the guts to snatch a Gauguin can gain entrée to the glamorous art market. While some paintings may be restored to their owners, others are damaged or never found. Jail time for the perpetrators is rare, as police and prosecutors focus on more dangerous criminals. As the author illustrates, the cops and robbers have lots in common. Both their livelihoods depend on the ability to bluff and sniff out fraud. Picassos, Vermeers, and Goyas are merely multimillion-dollar chips in a global casino. Dolnick gives the reader a seat at the table. For the full story - click the title Irish Art