Renoir painting stolen from auction house in Vienna

Deutsche Welle
1 Min Read

A landscape painting by French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir has been stolen from an auction house in Vienna. From the Mona Lisa to Edvard Munch’s “Scream,” here’s a look at other impressive art thefts in history.Austrian police are on the lookout for three suspects after a painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir valued at up to €160,000 ($180,600) was stolen from a Vienna auction house during opening hours.

On display ahead of a planned sale at the Dorotheum auction house, "Golfe, Mer, Falaises Vertes," a landscape painted by the French impressionist in 1895, was removed from its frame on Monday evening, according to police.

"The men left the site through different exits and fled," Vienna police said in a statement. They released security-camera footage of the suspects, adding it was evident they were professionals.

The Dorotheum, Vienna's best-known auction house, confirmed a theft had taken place but gave no further details.

The painting was due to go under the hammer on Wednesday evening along with around 250 other works.

db/eg (Reuters, AP, dpa)

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