After a staff member briefly left the showroom to wash their hands, the picture was suddenly gone. An unknown man who had visited the gallery on Friday is considered the chief suspect. He had been extremely interested in the painting and had even been carrying a folding ruler with him.
The Austrian painter behind the work, Robert Muntean, was very upset about the loss, gallery owner Marcus Peichl told broadcaster RBB.
"If he returns it undamaged, then I could even do without pressing criminal charges," Peichl said. The painting has been added to the registry of stolen works of art.
According to Muntean, the 80x65cm painting is worth €5,500 and had already been sold. The gallery has offered a reward in the form of some of Muntean's sketches for information on the whereabouts of the painting.
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