Italy’s Gustav Klimt Theft Investigation Reopened After 17 Years

Gustav Klimt, Portrait of a Woman (circa 1916–17), stolen from Galleria D'Arte Ricci Oddi in Piacenza, Italy, in February 1997.
Gustav Klimt, Portrait of a Woman (circa 1916–17), stolen from Galleria D'Arte Ricci Oddi in Piacenza, Italy, in February 1997.

It’s been 17 years since Gustav Klimt‘s Portrait of a Woman (circa 1916–17) was stolen from Piacenza’s Galleria D’Arte Ricci Oddi in northern Italy, but thanks to advances in DNA technology, the case has been reopened.

The portrait was stolen during gallery renovations in February 1997, and little evidence was left behind at the crime scene, save for a partial fingerprint on the painting’s frame. Now, police are hopeful that more sophisticated testing may be able to provide a DNA match to the print.


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