Poppy Flowers

Poppy Flowers (also known as Vase And Flowers and Vase with Viscaria) is a painting by Vincent van Gogh with an estimated value of US$50 million[1] to $55 million;[2] it was stolen from Cairo's Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum in August 2010 and is yet to be found.[3]

Poppy Flowers
ArtistVincent van Gogh
Year1887
TypeStill life
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions65 cm × 54 cm (26 in × 21 in)

Egyptian officials erroneously believed they had recovered the painting only hours after its theft when two Italian suspects attempted to board a plane to Italy at Cairo International Airport.[4] The same painting had been stolen from the same museum on June 4, 1977, and was recovered ten years later[5] in Kuwait.[6]

The painting is small, measuring 65 x 54 cm, and depicts yellow and red poppy flowers.[7] It is believed that van Gogh painted it in 1887, three years before his suicide.[5] The painting, which is of a vase of yellow and red poppies, contrasted against a dark ground is a reflection of Van Gogh's deep admiration for Adolphe Monticelli, an older painter whose work influenced him when first he saw it in Paris in 1886.[8]

Reaction to theft

In October 2010, an Egyptian court found 11 culture ministry employees, including Deputy Culture Minister Mohsen Shaalan, guilty of negligence and professional delinquency.[3] Each was sentenced to three years in jail but subsequently released on bail of about $1,750 pending appeal.[3] After the appeal, Shaalan served a one year prison term ending in 2013.[9]

Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris put up a $175,000 or 1,000,000 Egyptian pounds reward for information leading to the return of the painting.[10]

References
  1. "Egyptian authorities recover stolen Van Gogh painting". CNN. August 21, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  2. "Egypt culture chief sleepless over Van Gogh theft". Reuters. August 24, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  3. "Egyptian ministry officials jailed over Van Gogh theft". BBC News. 12 October 2010.
  4. "Faulty alarms blamed for Van Gogh theft in Egypt". BBC News. 22 August 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  5. "Van Gogh painting stolen in Cairo". BBC News. 21 August 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  6. "Egyptian minister says Van Gogh picture still missing". BBC News. 22 August 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  7. "Egypt Court Jails Officials Over Van Gogh's "Vase with Viscaria" Stolen in August". artdaily.org. April 22, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
  8. Guardian, Stolen Van Gogh Still Missing Retrieved August 26, 2010
  9. Elkamel, Sara. "Egypt's jailed culture ministry official creates art behind bars". Ahram Online. Ahram Online. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  10. "Egyptian tycoon offers reward for Van Gogh theft". Reuters. 25 August 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2016.


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