A Vang Gogh painting stolen in Cairo
The canvas Poppy Flowers was stolen in 1978 and returned a decade later after a copy had been sold in London.
The influx of news on art robberies seems incessant. This time, a painting by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) estimated to be worth 39 million euros, was stolen from the Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil Museum in Cairo last Friday, Egyptian Ministry of Culture confirmed.
The causes are still under investigation, although several Egyptian media have alerted on the deficiencies in the museum’s security system, after it was established that the surveillance cameras have not registered the robbery.
Immediately after the news was published, the Egyptian Minister of Culture, Farouq Hosni, said that the Police arrested the thieves at the Cairo airport. Nevertheless, they were released after it was established that they were not involved. Hence, the investigation continues.
The Poppy Flowers was stolen towards the end of 1978, but the following year a copy was sold in London for more than 40 million dollars. The event provoked a dispute between Egypt and Great Britain after suspicions were raised that the sold painting was the original and not the one returned to Cairo.
Façade of the Mahmud Khalil Museum, Cairo, Egypt