About Art

115. Robert King “Bob” Wittman


Listen Later

Robert King “Bob” Wittman is a highly decorated former Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent who was assigned to the Philadelphia Field Division from 1988 to 2008. Having trained in art, antiques, jewelry and gem identification, Wittman served as the FBI's "top investigator and coordinator in cases involving art theft and art fraud". During his 20 years with the FBI, Wittman helped recover more than $300 million worth of stolen art and cultural property, resulting in the prosecution and conviction of numerous individuals. In 2005, he was instrumental in the creation of the FBI's rapid deployment Art Crime Team (ACT). He also was instrumental in the recovery of colonial North Carolina's copy of the original Bill of Rights in 2005, that had been stolen by a Union soldier in 1865. Wittman represented the United States around the world, conducting investigations and instructing international police and museums in recovery and security techniques. After 20 years with the FBI working against art theft, he worked as an art security consultant for the private sector. In 2010, Wittman published his memoir Priceless which recounts his career and activities while working for the FBI as an undercover agent.

He and Zuckerman spoke about what he thought would be fun about joining the FBI, fake Basquiats, being scared, provenance and good title, the Dr. No theory, 89% of museum theft being an inside job, protecting cultural property, doing deals in the art market, and why museums and monuments get destroyed!

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

About ArtBy Heidi Zuckerman

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

82 ratings


More shows like About Art

View all
On Being with Krista Tippett by On Being Studios

On Being with Krista Tippett

10,388 Listeners

Design Matters with Debbie Millman by Design Matters Media

Design Matters with Debbie Millman

1,233 Listeners

The Modern Art Notes Podcast by Tyler Green

The Modern Art Notes Podcast

476 Listeners

Savvy Painter Podcast with Antrese Wood by Antrese Wood

Savvy Painter Podcast with Antrese Wood

856 Listeners

The Lonely Palette by Tamar Avishai

The Lonely Palette

802 Listeners

The Week in Art by The Art Newspaper

The Week in Art

197 Listeners

Dialogues: The David Zwirner Podcast by David Zwirner

Dialogues: The David Zwirner Podcast

411 Listeners

I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists by Erika b Hess

I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists

219 Listeners

Talk Art by Russell Tovey and Robert Diament

Talk Art

483 Listeners

Time Sensitive by The Slowdown

Time Sensitive

152 Listeners

The Great Women Artists by Katy Hessel

The Great Women Artists

524 Listeners

The Art Angle by Artnet News

The Art Angle

332 Listeners

A brush with... by The Art Newspaper

A brush with...

138 Listeners

NOTA BENE: This Week in the Art World by Benjamin Godsill & Nate Freeman

NOTA BENE: This Week in the Art World

141 Listeners

Critics at Large | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

Critics at Large | The New Yorker

575 Listeners