The Mona Lisa during WWII

Was the Mona Lisa looted by the Nazis during WWII? Learn more about Altaussee salt mine in the Austrian Alps that contained hundreds of works of art looted by the Nazis, and whether or not the Louvre's enigmatic smile was among this infamous horde of art. Learn more about the Mona Lisa's adventures during WWII here, find it on iTunes, or click this post's title.

Goya's Portrait of the Duke of Wellington and TV License Fees

On 20 October 2010, the UK Parliament extended free TV license fees for pensioners throughout 2017. Hear about how one pensioner in 1961 was so frustrated by TV license fees that he stole one of the nation's most prized possessions. The podcast can be accessed in a variety of ways including through iTunes, this post's title, and here.

Venice in Peril at the RGS: Stealing the Mystic Lamb Part 2

This is Part 2 of Noah Charney's lecture "Stealing the Mystic Lamb" hosted by the Venice in Peril fund at the Royal Geographic Society. The podcast can be accessed by clicking the title of this post or by clicking here.

Venice in Peril at the RGS: Stealing the Mystic Lamb Part 1

On October 1, 2009, the Venice in Peril Fund hosted a lecture by Noah Charney at the Royal Geographic Society. This is the first half of the lecture in which Charney describes the lengthy history of art theft and looting that has plagued Jan and Hubert Van Eyck's "Ghent Altarpiece." This podcast can be accessed by clicking on the title of this post, or by clicking here.

ARCAblog Podcast: The Vinland Map

Reading from the research of John Yates, Yale 2010, ARCA Director Noah Charney discusses the mysteries behind Yale's acquisition of the Vinland Map. Additionally, he explains the multi-faceted controversy surrounding the authenticity of this mappa mundi, which some scholars believe is evidence supporting the theory that the Vikings were the first Europeans to land in North America. On Friday, 17 July 2009, at an international cartographers' conference in Copenhagen, Rene Larsen, rector of the School of Conservation under the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, told Reuters, "All the tests that we have done over the past five years -- on the materials and other aspects - do not show any signs of forgery." Accordingly, the map continues to make headlines. The podcast can be found here or by clicking the title of this post.

ARCAblog Podcast: The Looting of the Amber Room

Reading from the research of Joel Knopf, Yale '09, ARCA Director Noah Charney examines the fate of the Russian Amber Room during World War II. In addition to discussing the history of the Amber Room, this latest podcast offers some analysis of the three major theories surrounding its looting and destruction. The podcast can be found here or by clicking this post's title.

ARCA Podcast: Yale Peabody Lecture Spring 2009

In spring 2009, ARCA director Noah Charney delivered a lecture at the Yale Peabody Museum discussing the many facets of art crime. By highlighting the Odessa Caravaggio theft among other art theft case studies Charney delved into the effect and influence the media has on criminals. The podcast can be found here or by clicking this post's title.