Early on Christmas Eve, thieves broke into a parish church in the Sevillian town of Paradas and mistakenly stole a replica of an El Greco painting, believing it to be the original.
The replica of La Magdalena Penitente is housed in the Church of San Eutropio, in Paradas, Sevilla, Spain, where it is housed along with the original painting. Art thieves chose a quiet Christmas Eve to break into the church to steal the famous painting attributed to the 16th-century artist Doménikos Theotokópoulos, known as El Greco (The Greek).
However, they took off with the publicly displayed copy of the painting, thinking it was the original work. The original remains safely kept behind iron bars, with additional security measures. It is ironic that recent incidents at the Louvre in Paris have embarrassed the museum, in this case, the thieves are the ones with red faces.
According to investigators into the crime, the thieves broke into the church at around 4:00 am, while gaining access through a secondary entrance close to the sacristy. However, an alarm was triggered shortly after their entry, alerting the police to the break in.
While the intruders were able to remove the replica of the painting in an accessible visitor area, they did not access the original artwork, which has long been kept behind protective metal bars to prevent theft or damage. While the original El Greco painting holds historical and artistic value, the copy stolen by the thieves is worth nothing. It is believed that the thieves mistook that replica for the original.
However, while they stole a replica, Spain’s Judicial Police from the Guardia Civil visited the scene later that morning to conduct a forensic inspection. The officers collected fingerprints and other potential evidence of the crime as part of their ongoing investigation into the incident.
Among other ideas, officers believe that the break in may have been an attempted theft on commission, where offenders act under the belief they could easily obtain a valuable artwork. However, so far, no arrests have been made and the thieves may already be aware of their gaffe. If not, they are sure to find out from the local newspapers.
Of the painting itself, La Magdalena Penitente is considered one of El Greco’s most recognizable religious compositions from the late 16th century. Mary Magdalene is depicted in a moment of spiritual contemplation, and the painting is notable for its dramatic use of color, emotional intensity and elongated forms.
The painting has been kept in Paradas and associated with the church for centuries, while historians still debate aspects of its provenance. It was due to its importance that the parish introduced the replica to the public to allow visitors to view the painting more closely without compromising the original’s safety.
In the meanwhile, the art heist has caused concern to the residents of Paradas, as the painting forms part of the town’s cultural identity. While it is a relief that the original painting remains safe and sound in the church, the incident has prompted discussion relating to the protection of cultural heritage in rural areas.
While the existing security did prevent the theft of the original, the incident has revealed ongoing vulnerabilities in historic buildings, particularly in churches that remain open to the public, with limited security available.
