Overview
Learn about how art is stolen and recovered from leading specialists in the field of Art Crime.
Join a famous art detective to hear tales from the trenches of his long career solving art crimes with the FBI. Drawing on cases he worked on personally, this seminar explores notorious art heists and daring recovery operations. Case studies include dramatic rescues of Rembrandts, Renoirs, and even the golden armor of an ancient Peruvian warrior king.
Conclude the series with a special lecture from Christie’s Global Head of Restitution to learn about some of the most interesting cases of loss and recovery in the art market. Richard Arnowitz has nearly two decades of experience in Restitution and the international art market at Christie’s and another major auction house.
This seminar is a unique opportunity to gain an insider’s knowledge of art crime with a focus on stolen art, frauds, fakes, forgeries, and restitution.
*Please also note that Christie’s Restitution department is hosting a global series of events and initiatives in 2023 in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Washington Principles - learn more here.
Topics covered:
• Art Crime and the FBI: How Masterpieces are Stolen and Recovered
• Frauds, Forgeries, and Fakes
• Documents, Books and Recovering a Lost Nazi Diary
• Looting and Destruction of the World’s Ancient Treasures
• Reflecting on Restitution at Christie’s
Learning outcomes:
• Learn how artworks are stolen and recovered in the high stakes' world of Art Crime
• Gain an insider perspective of headline making cases
• Acquire an understanding of how the FBI recovers stolen art and learn about the most notorious unsolved case
• Learn about Christie’s Restitution Department and gain a better understanding of provenance research and restitution
Academic Profile
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Robert K. Wittman Robert K. Wittman joined the FBI as a Special Agent in 1988. As a result of specialized training in art, antiques, jewelry and gem identification, he served as the FBI’s investigative expert involving cultural property crime. During his 20 year FBI career, he recovered more than $300 million worth of stolen art and cultural property which resulted in numerous prosecutions and convictions. As a result of his unique experience Mr. Wittman coauthored the FBI Cultural Property Investigative Manual in 2001. In 2005, he created the FBI’s rapid deployment national Art Crime Team (ACT). Mr. Wittman has represented the United States throughout the world conducting investigations and instructing international police and museums in recovery and use of high asset value security techniques. In 2010, Mr. Wittman penned his New York Times bestselling memoir PRICELESS: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures. His second book, THE DEVIL’S DIARY: Alfred Rosenberg and the Stolen Secrets of the Third Reich is a worldwide bestseller published in 26 languages in 30 countries. Mr. Wittman is now president of Robert Wittman Inc., a consulting firm specializing in art and high value asset matters, which include investigation, recovery, expert witness testimony, and collection management. |
Richard Aronowitz
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On March 30, Richard Aronowitz joins Christie’s to lead the largest and most experienced Restitution team of any international auction house. Based in London, Aronowitz comes to Christie’s after 15 years at Sotheby’s, where he led the Restitution department in Europe from 2006 to 2021, and was responsible for building relationships with restitution lawyers, researchers, families and heirs. He also worked at Bloomsbury Auctions, the Ben Uri Gallery and was Head of Research in the Impressionist & Modern Art department at Sotheby’s earlier in his career. He is the author of several novels and an expert on German Expressionism. |
Any Questions?
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