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A painting by the Bavarian artist Carl Spitzweg was stolen from the Mannheim gallery last weekend, museum officials announced Tuesday.
The thieves took Time of Peace by Spitzweg, one of the leading artists of the 19th century Biedermeyer period, by cutting it out of its frame, the Mannheim Kunsthalle said.
The theft of the painting, worth 500,000 euros (604,000 dollars) is believed to have taken place between Friday night and Monday morning.
The painting had been stored in a wing temporarily closed to the public for the installation of a new exhibition.
"We have many valuable works in our collection but Spitzweg is a sought-after painter," said the museum's director Rolf Lauter.
He added that he hoped to recover the painting shortly, and that it would be difficult to sell it on.
Carl Spitzweg (1808-1885), created more than 1,500 works and was during his early career a follower of the post-romantic movement.
He later switched to the Biedermeyer movement, moving closer to Impressionism at the end of his life.
ab/cc/da
Germany-arts-crime
AFP 212115 GMT 03 06
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