The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession

The final chapters provide insight into Breitwieser’s psychology. His emotional ability to bounce back is demonstrated on his release from prison. Briefly devastated by Anne-Catherine’s abandonment of him, he swiftly finds another girlfriend who resembles her predecessor in many ways. Breitwieser’s behavior gives credence to Anne-Catherine’s claim that he viewed her in a similar way to the artworks he coveted: His obsession with her is immediately replaced with a new object of desire.

As Breitwieser self-sabotages opportunities for a fresh start, Finkel conveys a shift in the psychology of his criminal behavior. His impulsive diversification into shoplifting suggests that stealing has become an addiction in itself, no longer driven by his passion for art. Meanwhile, his theft of art to sell online makes him no different from the financially-motivated art thieves he once deplored. Becoming an ordinary petty criminal, Breitwieser’s trajectory moves further and further away from his original grandiose ideals. The speed with which he regresses to theft supports the claim (voiced by the prosecution at his trial) that he is incapable of change. Consequently, he loses Christian Meichler’s and his father’s support, who believed that his obsession with art explained his crimes. Meanwhile, Mireille Stengel’s behavior remains consistent, unconditionally forgiving her son and continuing to fund him. His new girlfriend’s decision to stand by him initially suggests she may prove as complicit in his crimes as Anne-Catherine. However, Stéphanie’s response to the valuable painting Breitwieser steals thwarts his attempts to recreate the glories of the past.

The narrative ends as it began, with the central symbol of Adam and Eve. Breitwieser’s return to view the sculpture that once stood on his bedside table brings the text full circle. Finkel uses this incident to emphasize the downward trajectory of his subject’s life. At the time of stealing Adam and Eve, the artwork symbolized his criminal partnership with Anne-Catherine and his sense of invincibility. Breitwieser’s emotional reaction to viewing the piece again is prompted by his realization that it represented “the high point of his life, the pinnacle” (208). Now symbolizing everything he has lost, it embodies a history he cannot recapture (See: Symbols & Motifs).

The Afterword provides an overview of the author’s research materials and methodology. This section also highlights Breitwieser’s approval and cooperation with the project. Finkel’s descriptions of his personal encounters with Breitwieser—particularly the account of the stolen laptop—retain a hint of admiration at the art thief’s talents. Meanwhile, his revelation that he witnessed Breitwieser commit two minor crimes places the author in an uncomfortable position of complicity. Finkel’s first-hand accounts of Breitwieser jumping a bathroom turnstile and stealing a museum brochure provide further insight into the psychology of his subject’s criminal behavior. The casual, impromptu nature of these acts suggests a man who feels unrestricted by the moral codes most people abide by. Finkel’s final attempt to identify Breitwieser’s place in “the taxonomy of sin” (221) indicates his enduring fascination with his subject. Despite Breitwieser’s descent into petty crime, the author still considers him unique among art thieves. Finkel’s alignment of Breitwieser with bibliomaniacs suggests he ultimately views him as an obsessive collector who steals to satisfy refined aesthetic sensibilities.