René Alphonse van den Berghe
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René Alphonse van den Berghe (Nivelles, 1940 – 19 June 2020), also known as Erik the Belgian (Erik el Belga) has been described by Spain’s Policía Nacional as "an art dealer, restorer, painter, writer and international thief".[1] According to art crime researchers, he was one of the most prolific art thieves in Europe during the 20th century. Between 1977 and 1982, he has admitted to committing thirty robberies, though in likelihood, that number is likely higher.[2] Burglarising primarily Spanish churches and monasteries, alone or with others, he is believed to have been responsible for the theft of thousands of religious artworks.[3]
Although Erik was imprisoned several times, ultimately in Spain for 37 months, the Spanish courts failed to convict him of any art theft.[4] Van den Berghe was a self-proclaimed thief, stating: "I’m no small-time crook. I’m a high-class thief. I have stolen for the love of art and I have stolen luxury items. Money has no luxury value."[5]
On 7 November 1980 van den Berghe stole six Flemish tapestries from a church in the town of Castrojeriz. These tapestries were made in Bruges by Corneille Schutz in 1654. While the tapestries were recovered by an Interpol-led investigation, a section of the La apoteosis de las artes (The Apotheosis of the Arts) was only recently discovered in February 2022. The fragment was returned to the archdiocese of Burgos on 18 February 2022.[5][6][7]
References
- ^ Jones, Sam (21 February 2022). "Final piece of 17th-century tapestry stolen 42 years ago found by Spanish police". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Marín, K (14 March 2012). "Everything is easy to steal. It depends on who commissions you". El Pais. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ "Erik 'el Belga' muere en Málaga a los 81 años". La Vanguardia. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Erik le Belge, gentleman voleur 2005 "En 1976, il a écopé de dix ans de prison, en Belgique, pour recel avec récidive. Il s'est évadé de la prison de Verviers. Plus tard, ce sera de l'hôpital pénitentiaire de Madrid. Mais «j'ai oublié tout ça, c'est du passé». En sachant que si Erik le Belge a été frappé de plusieurs condamnations, elles n'ont jamais concerné le vol d'oeuvres d'art. Sur ce point, il a fait 37 mois de préventive en Espagne, avant d'être acquitté. Il a depuis épousé son avocate."
- ^ a b Sam Jones (February 21, 2022). "Final piece of 17th-century tapestry stolen 42 years ago found by Spanish police". The Guardian.
- ^ "Finally, Spanish cops recover final piece of 17th-century tapestry after 42 years". WION. February 22, 2022.
- ^ "Spanish police find missing piece of 17th century art stolen in 1980". UPI. February 21, 2022.
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