First published 2010
Robert K. Wittman created the FBI's Art Crime Team and spent twenty years tracking stolen masterpieces across the globe. The son of an antiques dealer, Wittman worked undercover and usually unarmed to catch thieves, scammers, and black market dealers from Paris to Rio to Madrid. His recoveries included golden Peruvian warrior armor, a Rodin sculpture that sparked Impressionism, Geronimo's final headdress, and a Civil War flag from one of America's first African-American regiments. Wittman rescued works by Rockwell, Rembrandt, Pissarro, Monet, and Picasso while navigating foreign governments and dangerous criminals. He also recovered an original Bill of Rights and exposed the scandal that shook Antiques Roadshow. The criminals he caught ranged from wealthy diplomats smuggling ancient treasures to museum janitors stealing locks of George Washington's hair for quick cash. Wittman saved hundreds of millions in art and antiquities, though he insists value cannot be measured in dollars alone.
Genres: biography, history, art, crime, non-fiction, art-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism, true-crime
Setting: Madrid, Paris, Peru, Rio
Period: Civil War, Impressionism
324 pages · Hardcover · Crown