Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-02-04
PICTURE THIEVES.
4 DEALER WHO SAYS THERE ARE
ARTISTIC KlEPTOMANIAcS.


Theft Of Murillo and Of Cainsboroueh's
duchess Of Devoashire"-Story Of kiss
Given For . vote-sharpers and Coun.
terfeit Etchings.
Ibid you ever hear Of the artistic
kleptomaniac:" asked a we'll known
dealer in etchings during an after lunch
con harmony a few days ago. "Well.
there is such q person. The artistic kiep.
tomaniac is insanely fond of valuable
art in the form Of etchings or paintings
He steals through the admiration and
love of art There are many famous in.
stances where old and almost priceless
masterpieces Of the painters art have
been taken by persons of this kind, and
it is odd that in almost every instance
the stolen pieces of art could not be
traced.
1.-The most famous artistic theft of
modern days was the stealing of the fig
ure of st. Anthony from the celebrated
picture by Murillo. The painting, which
was on exhibition in the cathedral at
Seville. represented st. Anthony sur.
rounded by angels. One morning about
seven years ago it was discovered that
the figure of ST. Anthony had been cut
from the canvas.
''An Europe was notified of the theft,
but the police never found the thief.
About two years afterward . Spaniard
from the West Indies called in at the
establishment of Mr.. Schaus, the we'll
known picture dealer of this city. The
Spaniard told Mr.. Schaus that he would
like to sell him an unsigned painting by
Murillo. Mr.. Schaus, being o man OF
large intelligence regarding works Of
the masters, recognized Immediately
the figure of ST. Anthony cut from the
painting in the cathedral at Seville.
1.-THE man was seized, and Mr.. Schaus
had the honor Of returning the painting
to Spain.
"The theft of the celebrated portrait
of the Duchess Of Devonshire, by Gains.
borough, Is years ago was doubtless the
work of an artistic kleptomaniac, for
the picture can do the thief no good but
excite his admiration. The portrait was
in the possession of the Messrs Agnew.
the picture dealers of London. 1t had
been on exhibition. and the Agnew gal
leries had been crowded. One morning
the frame stood empty. The painting
had been cut out. and no one knows to
this day where Gainsborough's Duchess
of Devonshire is.
''Some dishonest lover Of art is gloat.
ing over the picture in private. The por.
froif 10 vo1uod ar z IN O0O
"That painting by Gainsborough, be-
sides being an artistic relic, is also his
toric, as the painting was made just
when the beautiful Duchess of Devon.
shire had been the means Of turning
the political tide Of England. Pitt and
Fox were rival candidates for parlia.
ment. 1t was demonstrated that the
election would be narrowed down to the
vote of an elderly fat butcher. The
butcher intended to vote for Pitt. The
Duke of Devonshire tried every means.
including bride, to influence the fat
butcher to vote for Fox, but the butcher
was obdurate. Then the beautiful Ouch
ess said to him:
lis there anything I can do for you
if you will vote for Fox?'
eyes answered the butcher. II
you will kiss me, will vote for Fox
1.-The duchess kissed the fat butcher.
Fox was elected, and the political com
plexion of England was changed. It il
related that the Duchess of Devonshirt
told the story to Gainsborough when She
was posing for her picture.
The collector of valuable etchings OF
| engravings must be as constantly on the
alert for counterfeits as is the banl
cashier for forged checks or counterfeit
bills or the jeweler for false diamonds
Some dealers have suffered heavy losse:
because of their inability to distinguish
between an original and q counterfeit
etching or engraving. Quick wit and &
wide knowledge of the history OF etch
ings recently saved Frederick Keppel
the art dealer of this city and Paris
nearly /, 900 marks in Berlin. The col
lection of etchings of the late Baron OPP
perman was sold at auction, and dealers
from all over the world attended tn,
sale at Berlin.
Mr.. Keppel bought an impression o
Rembrandt's Christ before PLATE, en-
| Tilted the 1red6 ECCe k1OWO, poyiul
l, 400 marks, or $3.50. for the etching
just after the sale well dressed gen
tleman said in French to Mr.. Keppel:
"Sir, presume you are stranger il
Berlin. am a native Of the city, ant
am mortified to see you SO badly cheat
ed today. wish to make you all tn
restitution can. You paid I. 400 mark
for that etching. The price is far to-
high, but to compensate you for you
loss will sell you . genuine etchinl
for /, 900 marks"
Mr.. Keppel knew his etching to b
genuine. Mr.. Keppel saw that the mai
was playing q game of high comedy
but he said he would like to see tn
etching. When Mr.. Keppel reviewe
the etching. he said:
81 will give you 5 marks for the etch
ing" When the man found he had bee
caught in his game, he simply said:
"Prenez le," and Mr.. Keppel took tn
counterfeit, which he afterward gave
the purchaser Of his genuine etching
/ ',