What do you think of this fact?
Some works of art are famous because they’re beautiful. This one is famous because it keeps disappearing.
The “takeaway Rembrandt”
At the Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London hangs a small portrait by Rembrandt from 1632. It shows Jacob de Gheyn III, a Dutch engraver. A fairly modest picture, if it weren’t for its criminal record.
The painting has been stolen 4 times, most recently in 1983. Four times it vanished from the same gallery, and four times it found its way back. That earned it a nickname museum staff probably don’t love: the “takeaway Rembrandt”. According to The Art Newspaper, it holds a Guinness World Records entry for the most recorded thefts of a single painting. Londonist calls it the world’s most stolen picture.
Each time it turned up again and went back on its wall. That’s why you can still visit it today.
The next attempt in 2019
The story isn’t entirely over. In November 2019, intruders broke into the gallery late at night and tried to take two paintings from the exhibition “Rembrandt’s Light”. The security systems went off, guards stepped in and the police arrived fast.
Both paintings were recovered on the grounds. The culprit got away, though.
Bonus fact: The takeaway Rembrandt itself wasn’t involved in 2019. It wasn’t part of the exhibition.
Why was this particular picture so popular with thieves? Probably because it’s small and a genuine Rembrandt. A dangerous combination: easy to slip under a coat and still worth a fortune. The fact that it’s practically unsellable afterward, since any dealer would recognize it instantly, doesn’t seem to have put anyone off.
Other paintings have a permanent spot. This one has regular customers.