Stolen Rockwell Recovered

Posted by Mary Rayme Mar 3, 2007

A Norman Rockwell painting that was stolen over three decades ago was found hanging on the office wall of current owner Steven Spielberg.

It is ironic that the story of this painting being stolen is featured on the front page on the FBI Art Theft division. Here’s a small image of what the painting looks like. Children in a Russian school gaze at a bust of Lenin on a desk at the front of the class. One child in back appears to break the order and look plaintively out a window.

In the news report about the discovery of the painting it is said that Spielberg’s staff informed him about the painting’s shady origins. From this, I can only conclude that an astute staffer was also a stolen art junkie or someone curious enough to research the provenance of a painting in their boss’ collection.

Rockwell’s Russian Schoolroom painting was stolen from the Clayton Art Gallery in Clayton, Missouri on June 25, 1973. It was sold at auction to Steven Spielberg, the Hollywood movie director for $25,000 (US) in 1989. Currently, the painting is valued at $700,000 (US). Undoubtedly, this painting will return to the Clayton Art Gallery.

Who bears the cost of the stolen painting? Perhaps the largest loss is cultural in that the painting has not been on view to the public for over 30 years.

Source: http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2077928,00.html