Bookworm, Issue 36

The Book: The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel

In the mid-1990s, priceless paintings, ivory figurines, and ornate metalworks began disappearing from museums across Europe. The thefts were perfect, and surprisingly, the stolen treasures didn’t resurface on the black market. With so few clues, the mystery might have endured – had the architect of the heists not let ego eclipse caution.

In The Art Thief, author Michael Finkel recounts the true story of a French couple, Stéphane Breitwieser and Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus, who amassed a $2 billion art collection in an Alsatian attic. Their astonishing tale and the fate of the art is truly stranger than fiction.

Stéphane Breitwieser has a fondness for underrated northern European masterpieces from the late-Renaissance and early-Baroque periods, stealing primarily from regional art museums. Therefore, I’ve chosen a wine pairing from a growing region and grape varieties that may not command the spotlight in France, yet offers rewards just as compelling.

The author, a journalist, spent 10 years researching and writing The Art Thief. And the true-crime story is a page-turner; but equally of interest is how Finkel explores relationship dynamics and notions of beauty, along with the underground art market and criminal psychology. The author spent 40 hours with Stéphane; but Anne-Catherine and Stéphane’s mother Mireille Stengel, the two people closest to Stéphane who could corroborate or refute his story, refused to talk.

When their crime spree begins, Stéphane and Anne-Catherine are both 22 and living with Mireille in Alsace. Generally, Stéphane swipes the art while Anne-Catherine assists on lookout. The daytime thefts are audacious, and the two steal nearly every weekend, until their attic home resembles a “treasure chest.”

Unlike most art thieves, Stéphane is not motivated by profit. He considers himself a collector, of art, of beauty, a student of history, of culture. The pieces he steals provoke in him a “coup de coeur – literally, a blow to the heart.” But his unprecedented success changes him, exposing a tendency to hoard and increasingly narcissistic and manipulative behavior.

To better understand Stéphane’s criminal conduct, Finkel talks to investigators, psychologists, and others who offer possible explanations. Stéphane himself tells Finkel that the story of art is a story of stealing. Misguided, perhaps, but not entirely inaccurate as humans have been seizing art and cultural artifacts from one another for thousands of years.

Less than 10 percent of artwork stolen from museums and individuals is recovered. Stéphane and Anne-Catherine’s crime spree eventually unravels – spectacularly – in a shocking succession of events. But perhaps most heartbreaking is what happens to the stolen art.

Though Stéphane later says, “I was a master of the universe…Now I’m nothing,” he neither repents nor reforms. He’s lost his youth, his lover, his treasures, and his freedom. And in the process he’s also robbed the rest of us. Every masterpiece removed from public view is one less opportunity to marvel at human creativity and to connect with our inner selves, and perhaps someone else, more deeply.

The Wine: Domaine Albert Mann, Pinot Blanc Auxerrois, Vin d’Alsace, France 2023 $31.99

Appealing freshness and fruity character abound in this pale lemon, dry white blend from Alsace. Aromatically fruit-forward with floral and mineral notes contributing increased complexity. Find ripe yellow apple, white peach, candied lemon and lime, tangerine zest, fresh pear, white blossom, and sea shell. On the palate elevated acidity balances roundness. Medium body and medium alcohol at 13% ABV. Flavors mirror the nose, but add grapefruit peel, orange blossom, pink-peppercorn, and a lovely, lingering citrus- and ginger-spice-laden finish. Classic and thoroughly satisfying from first sip to final drop.

70% Auxerrois, 30% Pinot Blanc from 30-year-old vines planted in chalky marl and gravel soil and farmed biodynamically. The estate, owned by the Barthlemé family, has a winegrowing history dating back to the 17th century. I think much of their philosophy is captured in this quote from their website: “At present, the estate covers 25 hectares divided into a hundred or so small plots, which we work like a hundred or so small gardens.”

Why the pairing works:

Generally, I prefer not to use geography as a basis for my wine pairing, but in this case, I can’t avoid it. Stéphane Breitwieser, The Art Thief, lives in Alsace, a region in northeastern France on the border with Germany, where so many great wines are made. (It’s too easy, right?) But an Alsatian wine is compatible with the story in another interesting way.

Stéphane has an eye for under-appreciated masterpieces, those he perceives to have “deeper emotional sincerity” than works from “superstars” like Titian and Botticelli. Among wine collectors, the wines of Alsace are often passed over in favor of more prestigious French bottles from Burgundy and Bordeaux. However, true wine enthusiasts recognize Alsatian white wines as some of “the great unsung heroes of France.” (The Wine Bible, Karen MacNeil)

Alsace is an exceptionally beautiful region in the rain shadow of the Vosges Mountains where vineyards thrive in the sunny and dry foothills. The countryside is dotted with picturesque medieval villages, and the culture is as much German as French. (Throughout history the land has changed hands many times.) The most celebrated wines here are single-varietal white wines made from Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Riesling, the four “noble” grapes. The wines can be dry or sweet, but all are aromatic with high acidity and pure fruit flavors.

While Stéphane’s daytime heists are bold – like many wines made with the noble grapes – he also says, “Crime works best…not with overpowering force but when nobody knows it’s being committed.” Therefore, our paired wine from Domaine Albert Mann is an under-the-radar blend of 70% Auxerrois and 30% Pinot Blanc, grapes that make delicious and interesting wines, like this example, when handled respectfully.

Sipping Albert Mann Pinot Blanc Auxerrois offers a perfect counterpoint to reading about Stéphane’s duplicity. It is refreshing and pleasurable, with nothing to hide.

In the book, Finkel writes about obsessive collecting, speculating that Stéphane steals to “satisfy some hole inside him,” but despite his growing collection, “the emptiness never feels filled.” This prompted me to think about my own small wine collection, roughly 50 bottles in my basement “cellar.” I have more wine than I can drink, and yet I keep collecting.

While some wines truly benefit from cellaring (and tasting an aged wine is always a special treat), I’m a strong proponent of opening, sharing, and drinking my treasured bottles. Doing so spreads joy and encourages togetherness, for me a perfect antidote to the emptiness Stéphane experiences.