A Treacherous and Deceptive Path: The Journey of Stolen Art November 8, 2009

Part of the 2009 One Book One Lincoln special programming and events.

The Sarajevo Haggadah is a priceless religious book and national art treasure that, with heroic effort on the part of many people, was prevented from being destroyed during historic periods of cultural conflict and saved from confiscation during the infamous Nazi looting of World War II. Many famous art theft stories center on this period in world history. Film documentaries such as The Rape of Europa and Adele's Wish and a myriad of books have been based in this era. Professor Jean Cahan, Harris Center for Judaic Studies, will relate the history of five Gustav Klimpt paintings that were stolen in 1938 from a Jewish family in Vienna during the Nazi Regime as well as relating other instances of art theft and recovery. Mr. Buck Kiechel, Director of Kiechel Fine Art in Lincoln, Nebraska, will talk about the guidelines a gallery must follow in keeping with legal and ethical guidelines for authentication and provenance in the sale of art pieces and notification of suspicion of stolen or forged art. Kiechel Art has placed works in museums nationwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Smithsonian, The Sheldon, and The Joslyn.

Official Website: http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/bookguide/obol/obol2009/programs.htm