Humanity has always admired art, but some of the works of art created by the most famous artists, were lost and never found. Here are some of the legendary artworks which have been stolen or destroyed.
Diego Riveria- Man at Crossroads
Nelson Rockefeller commissioned a mural for the entrance to Rockefeller Center, but the artist Diego Riveria decided to to paint two leftist heroes (Trotsky and Lenin) and despite the public outcry, the mural was destroyed by workers.
Sandro Boticelli’s works
During the 15th century Bonfire of Vanities, when works of art deemed as sinful were burnt, some of Boticelli’s works were destroyed, mainly those reflecting humanist, mythological and sexual themes for which he was famous during his life.
Caravaggio- Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence
This painting was stolen in 1969 from a church in Sicily and the theft is assumed to be the work of the Sicilian mafia. It is believed to have been stored in a farmhouse and destroyed by animals.
Francis Bacon- Study after Velazquez III
Francis Bacon was one of the most important representants of modern art, but because many times he was not satisfied with his own works he used to destroy some of his canvases. Among the most important works of art he destroyed is the third in his landmark Velazquez series.
Gustave Courbet- The Stonebreakers
This work of art was highly influential because of its bold assertion that everyday activities are an acceptable theme for high artwork. The painting was destroyed during the U.S. military attack on Dresden, Germany in 1945.
Henri Rousseau- A portrait of Alfred Jarry
The genius playright, Alfred Jarry sat for a portrait by Henri Rousseau, but out of vanity he later destroyed the canvas.
Roy Lichtenstein- Canvases from the Entablature Series
Liechtenstein made canvases based on entablatures (moldings decoratively placed above the Greco-Roman columns) and one of them was destroyed during the 9/11 attacks as it was housed in one of the Twin Towers.
Works by Pablo Picasso
Henri-Georges Clouzet directed the documentary film the Mystery of Picasso in which the artist was filmed painting. All the works of art created for the film were destroyed upon completion.
Pearl Monument
After it became a symbol for the protesters who were opposing the regime and were fighting for democracy, the government of Bahrain ordered the demolition of this monument. It used to be a massive sculpture, representing the 6 Gulf states and had a pearl on top, which symbolized wealth.
Richard Serra- Tilted Arc
This minimalist sculpture was exposed in the Federal Plaza in New Yowk, but following a judicial decision in 1985, it was destroyed. The reasons for its destruction were among others the cost of its maintenance, the fact that it made movement around the Plaza difficult and because of aesthetic reasons.
