The art thief : a true story of love, crime, and a dangerous obsession / Michael Finkel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Finkel, Michael, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Breitwieser, Stéphane, 1971-.

Breitwieser, Stéphane.

Art thefts--Investigation--France.

Art thefts.

Art thieves--Biography.

Art thieves.

Art thefts--Investigation.

France.

Genre:

True crime stories.

Biographies.

Physical Description:

221 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (chiefly color), maps ; 22 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2023.

Summary:

"For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than two hundred heists over nearly ten years-in museums and cathedrals all over Europe-Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than three hundred objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion. In The Art Thief, Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser's strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, he never stole for money, keeping all his treasures in a single room where he could admire them to his heart's content. Possessed of a remarkable athleticism and an innate ability to assess practically any security system, Breitwieser managed to pull off a breathtakingly number of audacious thefts. Yet these strange talents bred a growing disregard for risk and an addict's need to score, leading Breitwieser to ignore his girlfriend's pleas to stop-until one final act of hubris brought everything crashing down"-- Provided by publisher.

Notes:

"This is a Borzoi book." -- title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

Athenaeum copy: Ashjean fund bookplate.

ISBN:

9780525657323

0525657320

9781984898456

1984898450

OCLC:

1346615839