Warhol Artworks Stolen in Netherlands Gallery Break-in

An overnight break-in at a gallery in the Netherlands resulted in the theft of two artworks by American artist Andy Warhol. The incident occurred at the MPV Gallery, located in the North Brabant province. The gallery owner informed Dutch broadcaster NOS that the perpetrators initially removed four silkscreens from Warhol’s “Reigning Queens” series, but subsequently left two of them in the vicinity. The stolen pieces depict the late Queen Elizabeth II and Margrethe II, who served as Queen of Denmark until her abdication earlier this year. Investigators from the local police force, who are conducting inquiries, stated that the scene indicated the occurrence of an explosion, resulting in extensive damage to both the gallery and adjacent structures. The perpetrators reportedly made their escape in a vehicle. NOS reported that the two other prints from the series, portraying Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Queen Ntombi Tfwala of Eswatini (previously Swaziland), were left behind due to their inability to fit into the getaway vehicle. All four artworks had been stored at the gallery in preparation for the PAN Amsterdam art fair, scheduled for later this month, where they were intended for sale as a complete collection. These pieces belong to a collection of 16 silkscreens depicting the four queens, which Warhol, widely recognized as one of the 20th Century’s most significant artists, produced in 1985, two years prior to his passing.