Crime and the Art Market

Interest in art crime is at an all-time high. Academia is committing greater resources to it, lawyers are increasingly specializing in the field, and the public is enthralled. Belief that the art market’s opaque and unregulated practices are indirectly to blame for these crimes, is also gaining ground. But what are the reasons for criminal activity in the art market? Is the art market any more welcoming to criminals than other sectors? And is law enforcement failing to keep up? Crime and the Art Market brings together the author’s direct experience from both fields to present an accessible, informative and realistic overview of these crimes in today’s society. The book re-examines high-profile criminal cases, while highlighting others which failed to hit headlines but marked significant moments in the legal treatment of art crime. Through interviews, new data and exclusive insight into cases, the book demonstrates the impact of criminal activity on the market and broader society, while exploring claims that changes in the market’s behavior are needed.

Riah Pryor is an investigative journalist specializing in the relationship between art and law, and is Head of Development and Operations at Focal Point Gallery. She previously worked at The Art Newspaper as Art Market Assistant Editor, and was a criminal researcher at New Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiques Unit.