Caught!: 120 paintings of Monet, Modiglani went missing in 1970s, replaced with fakes

An Italy’s public broadcaster has lost several valuable pieces of art by prominent names and those were replaced by fakes.

Works of artists such as Claude Monet and Amedeo Modigliani disappeared from the collection. These missing pieces were identified after a survey was conducted after the authorities posted the fake Rosai piece.

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Authorities identified a fake painting by artist Ottone Rosai after a painting fell and the frame broke. This revealed that the painting was a fake, and an investigation was launched into the matter.

Authorities feared the missing paintings might be a work of frustrated Rai employees. The disappearance of Rosai's painting was traced back to a retired employee who sold off the painting in the 70s and has admitted to the crime.

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These paintings could be easily stolen was that there was no alarm system for any of this artwork and no other security system was in place, making it easy for people with free access to walk out with the paintings in odd hours.

Investigators feel the collection was stolen most probably in a 1996 exhibition in Puglia, during which these paintings might have been replaced with a fake.