European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 14, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 88 the stars and stripes wednesday december 14,19b8 3 Van Gogh taken from dutch or museum Osterlo. Netherlands apr three paintings by Vincent Van Gogh including his Early masterpiece the potato eaters were stolen from inc Kroel ice Mucller National museum near the West German Border monday night in what appears to be the biggest Art theft in dutch history. The thieves apparently entered through a broken window after closing hours police said. Two guards were in. The museum Al the time but noticed nothing amiss they said. In addition to the potato eaters dried sunflowers and Weaver s Inte rior were taken. No valuation of the brain thugs was available from the museum bul the director of Christie s auction gallery in Amsterdam said that if sold Wrt Fie open Market not possible of a stolen work the would bring As much of Van Gogh s sunflowers brought 139.9 million when auctioned off in London last 1987. The sky s the limit Christie s director Harts Nijs lad said in a Telephone interview. " the potato eaters is enor Mously important Pai Nune " no estimate in inc value of the other iwo paintings was immediately available but Nistad said am rce were by he speculated that the paintings were stolen for Ransom. Completed in 188s, the potato eat ers is one of Van Gogh s most poignant depictions of poverty and hunger in the Netherlands. It shows a farm family sealed around a table eating potatoes by Lam plight the hunger evident on their faces. It is considered his most ambitious work from his dutch period before he moved to France in 1886 and came under he influence of painting is done in dark colors in a rough style which Van Gogh said in e letter to his brother was meant to Illus trate the rough life that the peasants lived. Van Gogh s artistic career lasted Only 10 years but during that time he produced about 850 paintings although he sold Only one during his lifetime. Errant missile kills merchant Sailor flights Honolulu
