Crime in the World of Art

Abstract

In these pages we shall address an under-researched aspect of white-collar crime—namely, illegal activity in the art world, specifically problems arising with art theft, fraud in the art market, and the illicit traffic in cultural heritage material. The art world is, of course, exceptionally diverse, consisting of paintings, sculptures, works in glass, works on paper, photography, works in fabric, and many other art forms. It is, as well, widespread in a geographical sense with material for collectors and collections coming from all parts of the globe. There are, further, many layers to the art market in terms of cost, with some objects at the low end being little more than trinkets, ranging upward to the rarefied heights of the art auction rooms where some items are sold for millions of pounds or dollars. It should come as no surprise that it is this expensive end of the market that attracts the interest of those willing to seek illicit avenues to wealth, although as we shall see the pathways such illegal activity can take are multiple and diverse.