Museum director was in Turkey during massive art theft
ISTANBUL
Director of the Rotterdam Kunsthal museum Emily Ansenk (R) and chairman of the board Willem van Hassel (L) speak during a press conference about the stolen seven masterpieces, including priceless works by Picasso, Matisse, Monet and Gauguin, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 16 October 2012. EPA/ROBIN UTRECHT
The director of Rotterdam’s Kunsthal Museum was on a
business trip to Turkey when seven paintings worth nearly 200 million euros
were stolen from the museum, private broadcaster has NTV reported.
Director Emily Ansenk returned to Rotterdam as soon as
she was notified of the theft.
Works by the likes of Picasso, Monet and Matisse were
reported to be among the stolen works.
The theft is considered to be the biggest since 1991, when nearly 20 works were stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.