3 July 2008

Tom Roberts painting stolen from ANU

| Clown Killer
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An oil painting by famous Australian artist – Tom Roberts – has gone missing from University House on the Australian National University campus. An extract from the AFP media release (below) provides a bit more detail.

ACT Policing is investigating the theft of a valuable oil painting by renowned Australian landscape artist Tom Roberts.

The work, which in its frame measures 560mm in height by 455mm wide, was stolen from a wall at University House on Balmain Crescent in Acton.The work is entitled “Road near the Goulburn River” and is conservatively valued at $25,000.The theft was reported to police yesterday, and has occurred while University House underwent refurbishment.It is believed the painting was stolen sometime between April 30 and June 18 this year.The stolen work is distinctive and easily recognised. Police are urging anyone who have any information which may assist the investigation to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

That’s a pretty big six week window. You’d have to assume that it was packed away and someone helped themselves to it. So, is this a case of big time art theft, an inside job perhaps? Or is there a real chance that the work of art is now adorning the wall of some wags room in one of the halls of residence?

[Ed. Thumper also noted the same story in the SMH and sent in the following comments]

According to the SMH, a Tom Roberts oil painting worth $25,000 has been stolen from The Australian National University.

The painting – Goulburn River – was taken from University House on Balmain Crescent in Acton, in central Canberra

So, if you’re having a quiet beer and someone sidles up to you with a rather large and flat brown parcel, you be probably better off to decline his bargain deal.

Unless of course you are a Roberts fan.

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Unis can be pretty slack with their artworks. There was a fellow living in a student house in O’Connor in the mid 1980s, studying art history and philosophy at ANU, who had stolen a lot of VERY valuable artworks and objects from various collections bequeathed/given to Sydney Uni. One of the most valuable was a mediaeval tapestry he had on the dining room wall. He went off to Melbourne when he graduated …

V8-Prius said :

That place needs a serious bump-up in security.

Does anyone know what happened to all those Greek relics which were stolen a year or two ago (from the Anthropology building I think)? I’m assuming they were never recovered.

Correct on both counts!

I hope some arse really gets kicked over this!!!!!

That place needs a serious bump-up in security.

Does anyone know what happened to all those Greek relics which were stolen a year or two ago (from the Anthropology building I think)? I’m assuming they were never recovered.

I know nothing about art, Australian or otherwise, but I would imagine it would be very difficult to cash in on such a theft in what must be a reletively small art world in this country, and would it be of suficient value abroad to warrent risking smuggling it out? I reckon someone just thought it was a nice painting and didn’t appreciate its value!

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