Two silkscreen prints from Andy Warhol's Reigning Queens series have been stolen during a dramatic burglary at MPV Gallery in the Netherlands, while two others were abandoned by the thieves. Local police are currently investigating the incident which involved apparent explosive damage.**
Stolen Warhol Artworks Linked to Dutch Gallery Heist**
Stolen Warhol Artworks Linked to Dutch Gallery Heist**
Nighttime break-in results in theft of two iconic Andy Warhol prints in North Brabant.**
The world of contemporary art was shaken last night as two valuable artworks by the legendary Andy Warhol went missing during a dramatic heist at a gallery in the Netherlands. The incident unfolded at the MPV Gallery, located in the North Brabant province, where thieves executed a break-in, initially taking four silkscreens from Warhol's celebrated Reigning Queens series.
According to reports from the gallery owner to Dutch news outlet NOS, the stolen works feature iconic portraits of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Margrethe II, who recently abdicated as Queen of Denmark. While the thieves managed to escape with these two pieces, they discarded two others, portraying Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Queen Ntombi Tfwala of Eswatini, nearby, presumably because they were unable to fit them into their getaway vehicle.
Local authorities have launched an investigation and noted signs of an explosion at the gallery, which has left both the building and surrounding structures in disarray. The stolen artworks were earmarked for the upcoming PAN Amsterdam art fair, where they were expected to be sold as a set. This series of 16 unique silk screens, created by Warhol in 1985—just two years before his death—has grown in significance, with similar pieces fetching over £500,000 each at an auction in 2022.
As the investigation proceeds, the art world watches closely, hoping for the swift recovery of these significant works and pondering the lengths to which thieves may go to acquire such iconic pieces.
According to reports from the gallery owner to Dutch news outlet NOS, the stolen works feature iconic portraits of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Margrethe II, who recently abdicated as Queen of Denmark. While the thieves managed to escape with these two pieces, they discarded two others, portraying Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Queen Ntombi Tfwala of Eswatini, nearby, presumably because they were unable to fit them into their getaway vehicle.
Local authorities have launched an investigation and noted signs of an explosion at the gallery, which has left both the building and surrounding structures in disarray. The stolen artworks were earmarked for the upcoming PAN Amsterdam art fair, where they were expected to be sold as a set. This series of 16 unique silk screens, created by Warhol in 1985—just two years before his death—has grown in significance, with similar pieces fetching over £500,000 each at an auction in 2022.
As the investigation proceeds, the art world watches closely, hoping for the swift recovery of these significant works and pondering the lengths to which thieves may go to acquire such iconic pieces.
