The Irish Game a True Story of Crime and Art
This nicely written and well researched volume is primarily about the Beit art collection that was stolen from their Irish domicile of Russborough house not once only twice. The collection itself was amazing by the audio of it; Vermeer, Goya, Gainsborough, Hals, Ruben, Velasquez.... The list is like an fine art lover dream and the thefts an art lovers nightmare. Though the artworks are central to the book a large portion of the writing is given to the people who stole them, the people who hunted them and got them back and to the circumstances of Ireland itself. Republic of ireland itself is a country I have not read all that much about and never visited, so anything I read well-nigh information technology feels fresh and new, Hart describes just enough about the turbulent social and political circumstances of the land to give a background for the stories involved in the theft and recovery of the art collection. I would recommend this book to non-fiction readers, I think there would be something for anybody who liked any of the themes explored here.
Thus, the book reads more than a scrap like a crime/police thriller, since many of the primal characters are police and yous spend a lot of fourth dimension watching them set elaborate 'stings' to recover the lost pieces.
A great choice for readers who prefer their True Crime with minimal gore and maximum historical context. Includes sweeping Irish gaelic/English history and plenty of artist/art collector info for fine art historians. The pace is pretty good, and switching from skilful-guy to bad-guy perspectives keeps you turning the pages. The typical reader's distance from these crimes (super wealthy collectors, international espionage, mob bosses) keep this volume fun and nearly cinematic.
This was fun! I had been in several of the areas - the Gardner museum, Wicklow mountains, the area most the train station in Antwerp, so picturing it was cool. Crazy stuff though!
Hart chronicles the two thefts of Vermeer's Woman Writing a Letter with Her Maid from Russborough House in Republic of ireland--the commencement past heiress turned IRA operative Rose Dugdale, the 2d time past criminal Martin Cahill, and the international recovery efforts past the Guarda, British Intelligence and Interpol, with Cahill's eventual desperation to sell leading even to the UVF and Turkish buyers in 1990. Hart provides background on Russborough and the Beits, the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum heist, the revelations realized when the painting was recovered and restored (the seal on the floor and the centre pinprick, showing Vermeer'due south technique for creating realistic perspective), too as the illicit economic system of paintings as drug collateral.
I loved this book. Ever since the theft of a Vermeer painting at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 2000, I'k obsessed with similar heists. Thus I found this volume about the thefts of Vermeer paintings in Ireland utterly fascinating. At that place's also a reference to the Gardner heist nearly the finish, and a rather startling theory on how Vermeer made the perspective in his paintings and then accurate. A further confession: while getting my Masters in Fine Arts, I spent a semester researching the Vermeer known every bit The Artist in His Studio. The Irish Game is a true crime tale about famous paintings, nasty thieves and the relentless cops who somewhen caught the bad guys and recovered the paintings.
- ane of the most audacious art heists in history - 1986, Ireland'south Russborough Firm, $200 to $300 million dollars worth of paintings (Gainsborough, Goya, Rubens, and Vermeer's 'Lady Writing A Letter With Her Maid'), coin laundering, drug dealing, I.R.A. assassinations; the police knew immediately who had done the crime, merely information technology took many years to prove the offense.
- the theft indirectly led to a remarkable discovery about the fashion Vermeer achieved his photographic perspective
- contains an additional chapter on the 1994 theft of Edvard Munch'due south 'The Sream' in Oslo, Kingdom of norway.
- well-written
- quite enjoyable
A petty fleck disjointed in places, but I'm a total sucker for this kind of matter - the insights into Vermeer's technique are the best office.
This true-crime art heist tale, published in 2004, has every bit many unlikely twists, betrayals, and double agents as a compelling mystery novel. In 1974, a British heiress sympathetic to the IRA, together with three men, stole xix paintings, including Vermeer'south LADY WRITING A Letter of the alphabet WITH HER MAID, from Russborough, a castle and the home identify of the English language aristocrats Sir Alfred and Lady Beit in Ireland. The paintings were recovered; but in 1986, the Vermeer and other paintings were stolen again by a bold Dublin gangster named Martin Cahill. Ready against Irish tensions of the late 1900s that reflected the chasms between the classes and between Ireland and England, this story illuminates the darker side of art--including the connections to drug and mob money and to violence. My fascination with the stories and historical tidbits that surround loftier-terminate art began when I worked at Christie's Auction House in NYC in the 1990s. Much of what I learned in that location about the art globe became good provender for the novel that would eventually become A TRACE OF DECEIT. I first read this book (THE Irish GAME) as I was drafting TRACE, years ago, because it tells more than the story of the solved fine art heists. Information technology also tells the story of how a man restoring the painting carefully removed the superlative layer of pigment (which was added after Vermeer died) to reveal a cherry-red wax seal on the letter, which adds to the emotional depth of the painting; and how a conservator discovered the technique Vermeer used to achieve perspective in his painting. Amazing. I reread this book again recently because equally I develop my new protagonist, Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and raised in an Irish gaelic department of Whitechapel, I'yard obsessing near Republic of ireland--its history, the prejudices against the Irish in England in the 1800s, and the complex spider web of law and criminals that reached from one island to the other across the Irish Ocean. I recommend this book for anyone interested in fine art, Ireland, and true law-breaking.
This was an fine art theft book with a strong beginning just which fizzled out to a weak ending.
A house called Russborough House, located a few miles from Dublin in the Wicklow Mountains had both a famous fine art drove, unequaled in Ireland, likewise every bit the worst luck with thieves making off with items from the collections, several items being stolen and recaptured repeatedly! The whole story could have been a cautionary tale of how Non to care for an art collection. They (the owners) never seemed to learn that they were enticing the thefts both by the value of the art pieces and the total lack of security. I couldn't get over that such aristocratic people with plenty of money at their disposal, would have such a nonchalant attitude to their fine art drove to the point of assuasive it to be plundered v (5) times!
Apart from the thefts and subsequent elaborate police deportment taken to retrieve the paintings, I institute the information regarding Vermeer and how he worked to be nearly interesting, if beyond my pedestrian grasp of perspective. Also, I idea it was quite heartening to learn that constabulary fine art recovery teams from various countries manage to work together then smoothly while obtaining a skillful event. It gives me hope for the possibilities of international cooperation in other fields!
This is a highly entertaining volume most a series of heists of the Beit fine art collection at Russborough Firm in Ireland, with a focus on the biggest heist pulled off by Dublin gangster Martin Cahill. In add-on to gangsters, Matthew Hart gives us a rogue English Heiress, the IRA, the FBI, Interpol, Scotland Grand, and of course, the Irish gaelic Garda. My simply complaint is the inclusion of chapters on 2 other major fine art heists, one at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and the theft of Edvard Munch's The Scream from the National Gallery of Norway. I understand why Hart wanted to include them, they are dandy stories, but they distract from the narrative flow, especially almost the terminate of book equally the sting performance to have down Cahill plays out. My only question is why hasn't this been fabricated into a film? Let'south get the cast of The Italian Job back together and make this happen.
A fascinating look at the world of art theft and organized criminal offense in Ireland, The Irish Game is a quick read that does not disappoint. outlining a few major cases spanning from the 1970s to the 2000s, specifically stemming from one particular estate in Ireland, Russborough. The crimes were not express to Russborough, yet, and the book highlighted an intricate earth of art dealers from England, Republic of ireland, Norway, Belgium and the US. It also gave an interesting business relationship of determining Vermeer'south methods of developing perspective, and what a breakthrough information technology was in the fine art world. Fascinating stuff.
A fast paced look at one of the largest art heists in history. The Irish gaelic Palace of Russborough becomes the site of this spectacular crime. The Irish constabulary, Scotland Grand and many governments become players in the incredible story. The author also touches on some really fascinating discoveries about the artist Vermeer that results from the heist, and other fine art heists/ investigations that were influenced by information technology. Definitely worth a read for those who love non-violent true crime.
I actually enjoyed reading this volume! Who would have thought some of the biggest art heists took place in Republic of ireland of all places?? I love Ireland and likewise have a soft spot for Vermeer so this was a perfect lucifer - which also nicely coincided with my trip to Amsterdam and The Hague where I saw Vermeer'southward works commencement paw.
Irish Art theft and Recovery with Rascals on both sides This book was a very satisfying read. Thank you to the author. Thanks to the clever police units from Ireland to England to the Netherlands and to Norway. What an amazing mix of characters that all stumble through forehandedness by the blind sight of ego.
I really enjoyed this book. Well-written and does a good chore of telling the whole story. It was a little hard to sympathise at some points for an American who doesn't understand European culture. I do wish he had explained some of those things more. Just overall, great volume and my confusion didn't distract from the story
Who doesn't dear a good heist story? The fine art history, and the thefts and their investigations are fascinating. Some of the ties to Irish history were interesting, but I plant it nearly impossible to keep the whole bandage of characters direct, especially with all of the threads in the narrative.
A non-fiction that has the feel of a thriller. Hart does the justice of a bright telling of an intriguing story and I couldn't put this ane down until it was done. Fifty-fifty if y'all're not into fine art, it will draw you in and keep you reading.
Fascinating. A folio turner that I could not put downwards.
I've read this twice and it'southward just as unbelievable and entertaining each fourth dimension.
three.75. I love art heist books and this one has an unexpected connection to the Gardner! Super interesting and made my plane ride get fast.
A well written and detailed account of not simply ane theft, but the multiple "games" that were and are involved.
Fascinating and imformative, with the author shiring his journey of discovery.
Fine art's an piece of cake thing to steal,
Simply so difficult with which to deal.
The online (Amazon or publisher's?) review begins, "...begs to be made into a movie." In reality, notwithstanding, it sort of already was. What brought me eagerly to Hart'south volume was the documentary Stolen which tells the story of the nonetheless-unsolved 1990 theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The Gardner Museum theft had interesting parallels and potential connections to the 1986 theft of a famous Vermeer stolen from an Irish gaelic Castle--the latter existence the bailiwick of Hart's The Irish Game: A True Story of Crime and Fine art. Hart'south thesis is that art history and police force enforcement's long-held notion of fine art collectors sitting atop swell piles of cash with which to commission the theft of a coveted object that they will silently enjoy and hoarde for years is not what truly drives the mod earth of fine art crime. Instead, when a theft occurs the media are immediately saturated with the story, assessments of the piece of work's (or works') insured values. This 2d fact may well be what drives the market for, in issue, the published valuations enable thieves to apply the art essentially as bearer bonds or travelers checks (or but collaterol) with which to leverage any information technology is that they actually desire (e.k., artillery, drugs, etc.). Hart likewise appeared to be arguing that Martin Joseph Cahill (a.chiliad.a. the Full general), the Dublin criminal backside the Russborough heist, was not so much criminal mastermind as lucky sap in eluding the Garda and Scotland Yard's Art & Antiques' partition as long as he did. Hart provides a fascinating account of the removal of several important works--about notably Vermeer's Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid (notable given the fact that simply 35 or perhaps 36 of his works survive)--from an absolutely soft target in the course of a stately Irish home called Russborough in the Wicklow Mountains region due south of Dublin. He weaves a compelling tale of the many people involved and consistently the collaborative efforts of law enforcement strapped for resources and beleaguered by political pressure of the "What would the public say if the $10,000 used as 'proficient-faith money' in a sting performance were stolen by the crooks? On 2d thought, y'all can't have it--despite the fact that the run across is already set up and the whole performance volition unravel every bit a outcome." Argh! And then, in detailed fashion, he links this crime to the previous Gardner theft and--equally fascinating--to the subsequent 1994 theft of Edvard Munch's The Scream from Oslo's National Gallery of Norway. Fortunately, the Scotland Yard-based fine art team that had just recently captured Cahill and recovered the Vemeer and other paintings had non fully disbanded. Thus, their assist was chop-chop sought and a sting operation formulated. In improver to the detailed logistics of catching the crooks and recovering the art, Hart's work provides fabulous art historical detail gained every bit a consequence of these robberies. For instance, in assessing harm to the pieces, including Vermeer's works, art historians have been able to solve the mystery of his mastery of perspective and whether or not he had made use of a photographic camera obscura in executing his works. (Don't desire to spoil any of that for you, and then just read the book already.) And finally, the reader gets actually interesting political insights into the so-called "Irish Game" as the Irish Parliament's willingness to recognize and seat Sinn Fein had some very real on-the-ground implications for Dublin thug Cahill and others in the art crime business concern. I read the book in two installments, and found information technology to be quite the page-turner. It really made the documentary Stolen brand a bully deal more than sense, and I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in fine art theft and/or the antiquities market place.
Who knew it was so easy to steal art? Only one thing kept me from giving this 5 stars, was at that place was a part well-nigh the end that made admittedly no sense to me..... The part nigh Isabella Stewart Gardner & her museum..... So there is this estate in Ireland: Russborough, at the fourth dimension of the theft it was owned by Sir Alfred & Lady Beit (from England).... and in that manor is billions of dollars worth of art & paintings which have been stolen & recovered not once, but twice. This volume is about those stolen paintings, the thief, & the fine art recovery team. It also talks about how stolen fine art is used for collateral to buy drugs & munitions, and is recycled to exist used for collateral again. I of the ways to ascertain value is unwittingly washed for the criminals past the police & newspapers. When a major piece of art is stolen, the police force volition assess the value, and the newspapers will usually place a photograph of the work, history and value of the piece, thus giving providence of the piece of art. I plant this volume to exist very interesting and well written. It wasn't besides long or involved and it held my interest. Originally I picked it for the relay tag: Ireland, merely it fell short by 30 pages..... but considering it was interesting I set information technology bated to read later.
Picked this book upwards while traveling in Dublin and seeing the incredible Vermeer exhibit at the National Gallery a few years back. This was the perfect aeroplane read - its topic is fascinating, and coupled with my dear of Vermeer, it compelled me to inhale the entire book inside the first leg of my trip dorsum home. (That really isn't as impressive as it sounds, as the volume is short.) Even though information technology's not-fiction, information technology hints at the spirit of the fine art caper (and what genre is more fun?), and the Irish character of the story adds a wonderful dimension. There's quite a bit in hither about Vermeer's fine art itself, which was a prissy surprise - I already was a fan, but reading this volume and learning almost both the technique and the dramatic history around his piece of work made me appreciate the paintings even more. Yous don't demand to be an fine art history major to enjoy this book. Information technology'due south fast-paced, delves sufficiently into a slice of mod history that many probably don't know about, and keeps your attending throughout - like any skillful caper should.
This was a very interesting book. I was blissfully ignorant about all these art thefts that happened in Ireland! Well, the aforementioned paintings kept getting stolen, afterwards all, just still. There are some mentions of other thefts, but a big draw for this book was Vermeer'southward Lady Writing a Alphabetic character with her Maid. Not only has information technology been stolen twice, in each recovery astounding facts were discovered in its restorations. I did go a bit bellyaching when the autheor went into such detail virtually the Gardner museum theft (a whole chapter), but never followed up on information technology again. The sole point was in reference to another Vermeer that was stolen, and how that prompted the chain of events that led to the eventuall recovery of the Irish Vermeer.
A resource for my electric current manuscript. While the read was entertaining, there were sections I did find dull enough to skip. The law sting, the characters involved and the Irish gangster Martin Cahill were well portrayed. So, too, was the shocking bit of news that the same paintings were robbed from the same identify 3 times. A good introduction into the fine art theft world; information technology focuses on one main location and group of paintings, non jumping around too much. It also deals solidly with a cadre grouping of investigators, branching out but in the closing chapters equally the police officers involved focus their targets onto another location.
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/339445
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