The authorities will address the court this morning with a view to handing over to the widow of the painter Jean-Paul Riopelle two paintings stolen twenty years ago and recovered last summer from a trafficker who was trying to sell them to settle debts.
“We are always happy when the paintings are recovered. These are always stories that bother us,” says Huguette Vachon, widow of the painter.
The 73-year-old lady thinks she remembers that three thefts took place at her late husband’s house-workshop in Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson, in the Laurentians, at the turn of the 2000s.
Photos filed in court
The two paintings by painter Jean-Paul Riopelle found on July 20 during a search in Mirabel. The first, entitled Quien-toi ben, is an etching created in 1989. The other is a mixed work painted in 1985.
Nearly two decades later, it was an informant who put the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) on the trail of two works stolen at the time, according to the request that will be presented to the Saint-Jérôme courthouse, in for their return.
He confided that Luc Plouffe, a drug trafficker detained in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, had paintings by the renowned artist, one can read in an affidavit.
On pictures
Since November 2021, the 57-year-old prisoner has been serving a 5-year prison sentence. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
According to the SQ, Plouffe would have tried to sell the works through his son to free himself from his debts.
Investigators then looked at photos taken during two previous searches of the trafficker’s residence in Brownsburg-Chatham, the document said.
The police then saw a work of Riopelle hanging in the living room, on images captured in April 2020.
This, however, was no longer there on pictures captured a year and a half later, in November 2021, we read there.
Photo filed in court
The Cap-Tourmente canvas, dating from 1983, was seen at the criminal’s in 2020, but was no longer there during another search.
The canvas in question, Cap Tourmentehas not yet been traced.
However, additional information prompted the SQ to conduct a search of the apartment of Plouffe’s ex-spouse, in Mirabel. According to this information, given in the request, the paintings would have been moved there by his son.
- Listen to the legal segment with Félix Séguin where he talks about the theft of works of art via :
another mandate
This is how on July 20, the Economic Crimes Investigation Division went to the lady’s house, armed with a warrant for two paintings stolen during a burglary that occurred in 2005.
The sleuths have indeed discovered two works there; a single untitled canvas, wrapped and stored in a wardrobe.
The other, entitled “Quien-toi ben”, was not targeted by the warrant, but was also seized. Their total value would fluctuate between $33,000 and $45,000.
Although Plouffe and his ex-spouse were arrested that day, no charges were brought in this case, for lack of evidence, explains the director of criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP).
Plouffe would have declared besides “to ignore” who was the painter at the origin of the table which had decorated his living room.
As the investigation is closed, the goods are expected to be returned within the next 90 days to their rightful owner, Mr.me Vachon, who intends to exhibit it.
It’s far from everything
The one who shared 16 years of the life of the famous Quebecer believes that there are still many stolen works of inestimable value that have still not been traced.
“The police are working hard. It’s not easy to find that. It still gives us pleasure at least to recover the works. It’s part of our collection. It belongs to us”, concludes Mr.me Vachon.
For now, the paintings are stored at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, pending the outcome of these legal proceedings.
– With Frederique Giguère
♦ Jean-Paul Riopelle, who died in 2002, would have been 100 next October. A play recounting his life will be on view soon.