[Theatrical Release: Feb 26, 2010] The story of the art collection of Albert C. Barnes is about money, race, politics, art and the last wishes of an eccentric man. This explosive combination has been the subject of books, lawsuits, a play and now an absorbing documentary, The Art of the Steal.Some numbers. The Barnes Collection is estimated to be worth $25-30 billion dollars. It contains 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, 59 Matisses, 11 Degas, 7 van Goghs etc. It is commonly described as one of the finest art collections in the world.The Art of the Steal does a very good job of explaining the complex set of circumstances and lawsuits that surround the Collection. In addition, the movie was less biased than I expected it to be. Don’t get me wrong–it is extremely one-sided. Yet the filmmakers managed to include a bit of nuance. Near the end, the movie unnecessarily doubles-back on itself, going over ground we have already covered. As well, I do not mind the talking head style, but here the talking heads repeat the same ideas without adding anything new. Overall however, if you have any interest in the subject, you will find this movie informative and enjoyable.

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