Mystery behind the stolen paintings
Mystery behind the stolen paintings
JAKARTA (JP): The news of at least 25 paintings stolen from
the National Museum and the alleged role of a Singaporean
collector as the fence of the valuable art works have made
headlines of many newspapers here.
However, there are still some questions which remain
unanswered.
Among substantial questions are, firstly, how they were stolen
and, secondly, why Christie's, who listed but later withdrew five
of the stolen paintings from its auction, failed to examine the
history of the art works.
According to police, four of the suspected thieves -- all
museum staff who have been arrested -- admitted they stole the
paintings, probably not only 25, on different occasions between
March and June.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, head of the
Indonesian CID, Brig. Gen. Rusdihardjo, said the thieves carried
out their operation before and after visiting hours as well as on
weekends when the museum was closed.
"One of the paintings was cut from its frame and put into a
large plastic pipe," said Rusdihardjo.
The others, including three Affandi paintings of almost 1 by
1.5 meters each, were taken along with their frames.
In their operation, the suspects chartered a small truck.
"All of the paintings were then sold by these suspects
directly to the Singaporean fence at a total price of Rp 21.5
million (US$9,188), which they shared," said Rusdihardjo.
As of last week, all but three of the paintings have been
recovered, including five paintings returned by the alleged
fence, Michael Lee, after being withdrawn from auction by
Christie's in Singapore and 17 others seized at a house Lee
rented in Pondok Indah housing complex.
The three still missing art works are an untitled painting by
Basoeki Abdullah, Mbah Irosentono, by Trubus Sudarsono, and
Jacqueline en Robe de Taffetas, by Albert Andre.
The 22 recovered paintings are Ny. Beni Suherman by R. Basoeki
Abdullah, Montmartre and Rue A Pontoise by Maurice Utrillo, Les
Adiux by Pigasso, La Partie De Campagne by H. DE Toulouse,
Collection Particuliere Londrez by Cezanne, Vase Et Mandolin by
Fernand Leger, Koleksi 56 by an anonymous artist, a painting of a
woman by Renoir, a forest by Ikinigan, a woman by an anonymous
artist, two other paintings of a woman's head also by anonymous
artists, Alerte Aerienne by Charles Walch, La Maison on Briques
by Yves Fancheur, Village Provencal by Raymond Moisset, an
untitled painting by Paul Collomb, Portrait of a Dutch Governor
Wearing the Willems Order by Raden Saleh, Parangtritis, Kawah
Tangkuban Perahu and Wadjah Diri dan Topeng by Affandi and A Nude
by Basoeki Abdullah.
The latter five were the ones withdrawn from Christie's Oct. 6
auction in Singapore.
It remains a mystery why the international auction house,
which employs Agus Dermawan T., a local curator, failed to look
into the origin of the five valuable Indonesian paintings, some
of which have been published in the state collection catalog.
Nobody knows how the framed paintings were sent to Singapore.
The four museum staff are identified as Supadi, Bambang
Widoyono, Komari and Syahril. They each worked at the museum for
an average of five years.
Five of the stolen paintings, works of Charles Walch, Yves
Fancheur, Raymond Moisset, Paul Collomb and Albert Andre, are
part of the around 200 modern art works donated by artists in
France to the Indonesian people in the late 1950s.
Due to neglect, 163 paintings were discovered by accident at
in a disused toilet of the National Museum after more than 30
years. The "lost treasure" was displayed in 1992, organized by
The Jakarta Post.
According to Rusdihardjo, police believe the Singaporean might
possess other illegal art works.
According to Museum Director Suwati Kartiwa, Lee told her he
intended to give more Indonesian paintings to her should the
government pay him a S$200,000 ransom.
"I could not imagine how a man like him could dare to
blackmail a government of another country," commented
Rusdihardjo.
Lee is now listed as a wanted criminal. (bsr)