Rembrandt: Take 2

One of the disciples is throwing up over the side. That would be me.

With Halloween right around the corner, (we might think it’s not, but seriously. It is.) aren’t we all in a spooky, clandestine frame of mind? Here is an unsolved mystery for you: The Rembrandt from yesterday’s blog? The Storm on the Sea of Galilee? Stolen!! Not that that’s new for Rembrandt paintings – it turns out they’re kind of pinched all the time. Just ask his portrait of Jacob de Gheyn III which is actually in the Guinness Book of World Records for being stolen so often.

It does sort of surprise me the FBI hasn’t cracked this thing open yet (although it doesn’t sound like it will be long). The robbery took place in 1990 when a couple guys dressed as police officers entered the museum, tied up the security guards and helped themselves to a bunch of art, including the 5’ tall Sea of Galilee. A heister I’m not, so I just don’t get what these guys are doing with the art? Just appreciating it? No art collector is going to touch that stuff, right?
Rembrandt painted a tiny self-portrait of himself within The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (on the bottom- see the man holding his hat and looking right at you? That’s him!) That fact alone should shame the thieves into returning the painting- he’s looking right at them! Not to mention you know- Jesus! In any event, I think the “takeaway” here is that everyone wants a Rembrandt and museums would do well to Remembrandt that!

Leave a Reply