★ This book takes a close look at some of the “most unlucky” artists in the history of Western art and their works—pieces that have been stolen, destroyed, or gone missing. Among these artists are not only household names like Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, and Claude Monet, but also lesser-known masters such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Michelangelo.

★ Featuring more than 130 exquisite illustrations throughout, the book combines vivid imagery with a conversational, stand-up-comedy-style narrative to bring to life the “misfortunes” that have befallen these artists’ masterpieces. For example, Munch’s iconic painting “The Scream” was stolen during the Winter Olympics, and the thief even left a mocking note aimed at the security team; the theft of the “Mona Lisa” ironically made the painting even more famous.

★ The author, Lü Chen, is a researcher at Peking University’s School of Arts and a popular art-history educator on Douyin with millions of followers. He’s famously described as “legs from the neck down, and a big mouth from the neck up.”

★ This book serves as both an engaging introduction to art for beginners and a perfect read for curious, “omnivorous” readers who enjoy exploring a wide range of topics.

Using clear, engaging language and a logically structured narrative, this book explores the lives of some of the Western art world’s most “unlucky” artists and their works, offering a fresh and unconventional take on art history.

The book is organized into four distinct sections, each illuminating a unique facet of this history:

Lost: When art becomes an object of desire. Readers will revisit how the theft of the “Mona Lisa” catapulted it to global icon status, uncover the underlying logic behind the repeated targeting of paintings by Van Gogh and Vermeer, and even witness the “most dangerous thefts” in the history of gold artworks.

Destroyed: When ideological conflicts turn violent. From sculptures smashed due to religious or political disputes to canvases hacked with knives or doused with acid out of personal rage—including Monet’s “Water Lilies”—this section reveals how humans have used destruction as a means of expressing dissent.

War: When culture becomes spoils of conquest. This chapter traces how artworks were systematically looted, relocated, or destroyed amid war and regime changes, exposing the vast black markets and webs of power that operated behind the scenes.

Survival: The long battle for restoration and preservation. In the final section, the book turns its gaze toward hope, examining how works battered by time and trauma have been brought back to life through meticulous restoration—and reflecting on how failed restorations can themselves become new forms of “crime.”

With his signature blend of wit and clarity, author Lü Chen weaves together these cases scattered across the annals of history. He doesn’t just recount “what happened”; he delves deeply into “why it happened,” asking whether greed, fanaticism, ideology, or sheer chance was at play. As readers follow these gripping, detective-story-like narratives, they find themselves on an extraordinary journey through Western art history—while being drawn inexorably toward a profound question: If artworks are undeniably the precious treasures of human civilization left behind by history, how should we protect them?

Lü Chen

A researcher at the School of Arts at Peking University, Lü Chen is dedicated to art history research and public science communication. He is also one of China’s most influential knowledge communicators, often jokingly described as “legs from the neck down, a big mouth from the neck up.” With nearly a million followers on platforms like Douyin, he has gained widespread acclaim for his series of videos—including “Talking About Paintings” and “Gossip in Art History”—which use a witty and incisive style to transform complex art knowledge into accessible, easy-to-understand content. His exceptional storytelling skills enable him to build a bridge between academic scholarship and the general public.

In addition to being a scholar and writer, Lü Chen is also a photographer, a percussionist in a band, and the founder of a visual studio. His diverse cross-disciplinary experience has shaped a unique and multidimensional perspective on art.

Part One: Loss—Art and Money in One
Chapter 1: Does Being Stolen Make You Famous? The “Forefather of Event Marketing,” the Mona Lisa
Chapter 2: It’s Decided—It Has to Be You! Why Are Van Gogh’s Paintings Always Getting Stolen?
Chapter 3: Vermeer: Did Even “Robin Hood” Steal Paintings?
Chapter 4: You’ve Become Too Proud—Even Munch Won’t Take You Back!
Chapter 5: The Most Dangerous Theft—Gold Artworks
Chapter 6: The Gentleman Thief vs. Wellington: A Final Showdown à la 007

Part Two: Destruction—Eliminate If You Disagree
Chapter 7: Hitting with a Hammer for No Apparent Reason—Will This Ever End?
Chapter 8: Sprayed with Hydrochloric Acid, Slashed with Knives, Torn to Shreds—This World Is Just Too Cruel
Chapter 9: Ivan the Terrible and His Terrifying Paintings
Chapter 10: Monet, Can Even Your Water Lilies Not Calm Your Rage?
Chapter 11: Venus Severely Slashed Six or Seven Times

Part Three: War—Both Territory and Culture Are at Stake
Chapter 12: In the Face of War, No God or Saint Can Help
Chapter 13: The Doomsday of Artworks
Chapter 14: The Criminal Underworld Behind Art Theft

Part Four: Survival—The Restoration and Protection of Artworks
Chapter 15: How Did This Painting Turn into a “Monkey”?
Chapter 16: The Development and Research of Art Conservation

References