Throughout history art has been used as a powerful form of expression, capturing moments of beauty and emotion, but also moments of sheer terror. Unfortunately, some of the world’s most celebrated masterpieces have vanished without a trace. Some have been lost to time, but some have been lost to cunning theft and full on disaster. These missing works have captivated historians for years, and we’re here to share them with you. Here are 20 notable masterpieces that were lost.
1. Leonardo da Vinci – The Battle of Anghiari
Value: Priceless
In this painting, Da Vinci depicted the 1440 battle between Florence and Milan. This painting is often referred to as The Lost Leonardo. Some historians believe the painting was hidden, but the reason why is unclear.
2. Johannes Vermeer – The Concert
Value: $250 Million
This masterpiece was stolen from a museum in Boston in 1990. The painting remains missing and is considered one of the most valuable stolen pieces of art.
3. Pablo Picasso – Seated Woman with Red Hair
Value: $63.4 Million
After over 50 years of being reported lost, Picasso’s masterpiece Seated Woman with Red Hair was discovered in the storage of a museum. Whoever was cleaning that day stumbled upon a multi-million dollar painting. That’s a sign to clean out your garage because you never know what you’ll find in there.
4. Michelangelo – The Battle of Cascina
Value: $8.2 Million
Although copies exist, the original painting of the Florentine victory over Piza is lost. Some historians say the piece was cut up and distributed throughout Italy.
5. Raphael – Portrait of a Young Man
Value: $100 Million
This painting by Raphael was stolen by Nazis during WWII. Although still missing, it is assumed someone has it hidden away, waiting for the opportunity to pawn it off for serious cash.
6. Henri Matisse – La Danse
Value: $80.8 Million
Henry Matisse’s La Dance was looted during the Russian Revolution and was missing for about 15 years. The painting was recovered in 1930 and returned to where it was stolen from.
7. Pablo Picasso – Le Pigeon Aux Petits Pois
Value: $26 Million
Le Pigeon aux Petits Pois was a famous painting that was stolen from a museum in Paris in 2010. Despite many investigations, the painting remains missing. The estimated price of the painting is $26 million.
8. Gustav Klimt – Water Serpents II
Value: $183.3 Million
Though not lost anymore, Water Serpents II was stolen by the Nazis in WWII. The painting was passed around by the Nazi party and hidden from the public until it was sold at auction in 2013. Now the painting is visible to the public in the Belvedere Museum in Austria.
9. Vincent Can Gogh- Poppy Flowers
Value: $55 Million
Van Gogh’s famous painting Poppy Flowers has been stolen twice. The first time it was stolen and hidden, but it resurfaced just a decade later. The most recent time it was stolen was in 2010, and it has not been found since.
10. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio – The Taking of Christ
Value: $25-50 Million
This painting was thought to be lost for over 200 years but was miraculously rediscovered in 1990 in someone’s dining room in Dublin.
11. Rembrandt van Rijn – The Storm on the Sea of Galilee
Value: Priceless
One of the largest art heists in history was the theft of The Storm on the Sea of Galilee. This painting was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and has not been recovered.
12. Pablo Picasso – Harlequin Head
Value: $150 Million
In 2012, a group of criminals stole Harlequin Head and several other valuable artworks from the Kunsthal Museum in Rotterdam. The theft was captured on camera, but there is only speculation as to where the painting could be.
