Monday

Hockney Is Art Thieves’ Favourite

The Times Online reports that - for David Hockney - it may be the most unwelcome accolade of his illustrious art career. He has been named as the living British artist most frequently targeted by art thieves across the world. A survey of the most-stolen British artists, compiled by the international Art Loss Register and obtained by The Sunday Times, places the Yorkshire artist at number three — less popular in the criminal underworld than Henry Moore or Sir Thomas Gainsborough, but ahead of old masters such as Turner and Constable. At least 68 Hockney paintings and prints have been stolen from art galleries, private homes and museums around the world, a dark reflection of both his enduring popularity and his prodigious output. Many more may have vanished without being reported to the register. Julian Radcliffe, a register director, said that the global black art trade had burgeoned over the past decade to a £3.3 billion business. Its database contains 53,000 works stolen in the UK, compared with 21,000 in America, 15,000 in France and 11,000 in Germany. “It’s partially because so much British art is insured, compared to Germany or France, but also because we have so much to lose,” he said. For full source and full article click the Headline). Irish Art