WATANI International 29 August 2010
On Saturday 21 August, thieves made off with the canvas of a Vincent van Gogh known as “Poppy Flowers” or “Vase with Flowers” from the Mahmoud Khalil Museum in Cairo. None of the museum’s alarms and only seven of 43 surveillance cameras were working at the time of the robbery. The canvas was forced out of its frame using a cutter—but experts say it can be easily repaired and will not detract form the value of the canvas once it is found. The painting is worth an estimated USD50 million.
This is the second time the painting by the Dutch postimpressionist has been stolen from the museum. Thieves first made off with the canvas in 1978. Authorities recovered it two years later at an undisclosed location in HYPERLINK “http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_en_ot/ml_egypt_stolen_van_gogh_34” \l “#” \t “undefined” Kuwait. The 12-inch-by-12-inch (30-centimetre-by-30-centimetre) canvas, believed to have been painted in 1887, resembles a flower scene by the French artist Adolphe Monticelli, whose work deeply affected van Gogh. The Monticelli painting also is part of the Khalil collection. Detained On the same day the canvas was stolen Culture Minister Farouk Hosni said that police had confiscated the painting from an Italian couple at Cairo airport hours after it was gone. But Hosni later backtracked saying his announcement was based on “false, incorrect” information.
Egypt’s HYPERLINK “http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_en_ot/ml_egypt_stolen_van_gogh_34” \l “#” \t “undefined” prosecutor general Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud ordered the detention of Deputy Culture Minister Mohsen Shalaan and four of the museum’s security guards pending investigations on suspicion of neglect and professional delinquency. No charges have yet been filed.
Mahmoud implicated the deputy minister in the HYPERLINK “http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_en_ot/ml_egypt_stolen_van_gogh_34” \l “#” \t “undefined” security lapses that he said led to the theft because he has an office in the museum and is in charge of its financial and administrative affairs. Shalaan “neglected his duties and did not improve lax HYPERLINK “http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_en_ot/ml_egypt_stolen_van_gogh_34” \l “#” \t “undefined” security measures by replacing the broken cameras and alarms,” the prosecutor was quoted as saying. The guards were accused of neglect for not checking museum visitors. Ten other people were questioned and released the following day but remain under investigation on similar accusations. Fifteen officials, including the director of the Khalil museum, Reem Bahir, and the head of the fine arts department at the Ministry of Culture, have been barred from leaving Egypt until the investigation into the painting’s theft is complete, Mahmoud said. Warning The prosecutor said his office had warned Egypt’s museums last year to implement stricter security controls after nine paintings were stolen from another Cairo institute, the Mohammed Ali Museum. Similar security lapses were to blame in that theft. Shalaan, the deputy minister, said he also warned in 2007 that cameras and alarms at the Mahmoud Khalil Museum were not working but that Culture Minister Farouk Hosni did not come through with resources to replace the equipment. Hosni has instructed ministry officials to set up a central control room to monitor video from HYPERLINK “http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_en_ot/ml_egypt_stolen_van_gogh_34” \l “#” \t “undefined” surveillance cameras in all Egyptian museums and link alarms into a single network the control room of which will be set up inside the Saladin Citadel. The 12th century citadel on Muqattam Hill east of the city today doubles as a venue for cultural activities. Committees will also tour museums across the country to review security measures.
Until Watani went to press, investigations were ongoing, but no clue was announced as to who could have been the culprit or culprits. The Culture Ministry said it had notified the Interpol.