Taxation & Estate Planning

The Art of the Steal

By Joel A. Schoenmeyer

The Art of the Steal is a new documentary currently playing in limited release in Philadelphia and New York City. Hopefully it will come to Chicago and/or DVD soon.

The film focuses on the art collection of Albert C. Barnes, who died in 1951. The collection, which is valued at more than $25 billion (yes, billion) dollars, was displayed for many years in his own museum, away from Philadelphia and its art establishment. This was by Mr. Barnes's choice. But after his death, and the death of a close friend who ran his foundation, the "big money" folks from Philly took over. They appear to have violated both the letter and the spirit of Mr. Barnes's Will, in loaning out some of his works and eventually moving the collection to a new museum in Philadelphia.

Some relevant pages:

IMDB page

Trailer in HD [edit: and a clip focusing on Mr. Barnes's Will]

This should make for an interesting film.

Full post as published by Death and Taxes Blog on March 02, 2010 (boomark / email).