| December 18, 2003 |
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Press
Release
The FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department, Major Crimes Unit are requesting the assistance of the public to locate a collection paintings and hundreds of Royal Doulton figurines stolen from a private residence in the Germantown section of Philadelphia in late November, 2003. The theft occurred while the resident was in a nursing home, rehabilitating from an accident. The items that were stolen represent a lifelong collection of the victim. To date the FBI and Philadelphia Police Department have identified 25 paintings that were stolen. A description of the paintings is attached. These paintings are valued at approximately one million dollars. The paintings were part of a collection of important American Impressionist paintings from the 19th Century. The collection included a number of paintings by Pennsylvania Impressionists such as Fred Wagner (1864-1940) , John Folinsbee (1892-1972), Daniel Knight Ridgeway ( 1839-1924) and George Luks (1867-1933). The painting," Woodside Park" by Fred Wagner (30 x 38 inches, oil on canvas) depicts Philadelphians attending a fair at Woodside Park, formerly located next to Fairmount Park on Belmont Avenue. Wagner was born in Valley Forge, PA and attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where he studied under Thomas Eakins. Wagner paintings hang in the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art, St Louis Museum of Art and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. John Folinsbee, who
painted "The Bather," has been described as one of the Another noted artist,
Daniel Knight Ridgeway, was born in Philadelphia in 1845. He painted "Dividing
the Profits". George Luks, who was born in Williamsport, PA,1866-1933)
grew up in Pottsville, PA and later attended the Pennsylvania Academy
of Fine Arts painted "Summer Landscape With Figure." Luks, an
American Impressionist, was associated with a group of artists whose works
focused on daily life and people.
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