In a daring overnight heist, two iconic artworks by American pop artist Andy Warhol were stolen from the MPV Gallery in the North Brabant province of the Netherlands. The thieves targeted four of Warhol’s Reigning Queens silkscreens, taking pieces of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Margrethe II while abandoning depictions of Queen Beatrix and Queen Ntombi Tfwala due to limited car space.
The stolen artworks were valued in the hundreds of thousands and were set to be showcased at the PAN Amsterdam art fair later this month. Police report that the thieves, who fled after causing significant damage to the gallery and surrounding area, may have used an explosive device to gain entry.
About the Stolen Works
The Reigning Queens series, created by Warhol in 1985, features a set of silkscreens of reigning queens, including these depictions of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Margrethe II. The pieces are part of a larger series of 16 that capture Warhol’s iconic pop art style and have fetched substantial sums at auction in recent years.
