Stolen Van Gogh Works

Being one of the most productive artists in history, Van Gogh works are in museums and galleries all over the world giving visibility to pieces that ironically during the artist’s lifetime went largely unrecognized. In addition, his posthumous fame has made Van Gogh one of the most sought after names in the art world. Van Gogh paintings have been the target of many art heists over the years. While some of these stolen works were recovered in a short period of time, unfortunately others are still missing. If you have updates or corrections to this list please contact us so that we can maintain an accurate record.

Besides the stolen art works, there are many of Van Gogh’s works which have been recorded as missing. See a list of Van Gogh’s missing works.

Poppy Flowers (Vase with Viscaria)	August 21, 2010 - Stolen in broad daylight from Cairo’s Mahmoud Khalil Museum. So far it has not been recovered. This painting was also stolen in 1978, but recovered two years later.
Blossoming Chestnut Branches	February 11, 2008 – Stolen from the Foundation E.G. Bührle in Switzerland and found nine days later in a parked car in Zürich.
The Fortifications of Paris with Houses (The Ramparts of Paris)	April 27, 2003 - Stolen from The Whitworth Art Gallery at The University of Manchester in London. The painting was found a few days later outside of a public restroom near the gallery.
View of the Sea at Scheveningen Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen	December 7, 2002 - Stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Still Life Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers The Potato Eaters Still Life with Irises Wheatfield with Crows Still Life with Bible	April 14, 1991 – Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters, Still Life with Irises, Wheatfield with Crows, and Still Life with Bible were among 20 paintings stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. All of the paintings were found in abandoned car hours later.
Digging Farmer’s Wife The Sitting Farmer’s Wife Wheels of the Water Mill in Gennep	June 28, 1990 - Three Van Gogh paintings were stolen from the Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch, the Netherlands. The Digging Farmer was found over a year later in a bank safe in Belgium.
Weaver’s Interior Four Cut Sunflowers The Potato Eaters	December 12, 1988 - Thieves stole these three paintings for ransom from the Kroller-Muller Museum. The Weaver’s Interior was returned for no ransom in April. The other two works were returned in July.
Breton Women (after Emile Bernard)	February 17, 1975 – Van Gogh’s was one of 28 paintings stolen from Milan’s Municipal Museum. The painting was recovered on April 6, 1975 only to be stolen again on May 15. The painting was again recovered in November.

Sources:

The New York Times – April 18, 1989
Observer Reporter – July 14, 1989
Gainesville Sun – June 29. 1990
The Milwaukee Journal – Oct. 11, 1991
The New York Times – February 18, 1975
The Press Courier - May 15, 1975
The Daily Mail
The Pittsburgh Press – February 17, 1975 CBC News – May 20, 2010
The Van Gogh Museum – December 7, 2002
Daily Union – April 16, 1991