Lost, Stolen Or Shredded

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Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Lost To The World

20060502

Theft, murder and betrayal behind the rediscovery of Mahler's famous song.

The Lady Vanishes

20060504

How the most famous painting in the world, the Mona Lisa, was stolen in 1911.

05 LAST

The Lost Archive Of Kim Philby

20060505

20130530 (BBC7)

Spies pursued - Rick Gekoski attempts to track down diaries and effects of Kim Philby.

The Great Omar

20090811

20100118 (R4)

Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art.

Rick tells the story behind the fabulous jewelled binding of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which was encrusted with over a thousand diamonds, rubies and emeralds and was regarded as the finest work produced by the bindery of Sangorski and Sutcliffe. Sadly it went down with the SS Titanic and is still lying unclaimed at the bottom of the ocean.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

The story behind the fabulous jewelled binding of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

The Lost Career Of Charles Rennie Mackintosh

20090818

20100119 (R4)

Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art.

Architect, designer and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh is internationally celebrated as one of the most significant talents of the late-19th and early-20th centuries. His creative genius and contribution to modern architecture and design is unquestioned, with his design for the Glasgow School of Art undoubtedly his masterpiece. But commissions were few and support for his work limited.

Rick examines Mackintosh's life and work and asks why he received so little support during his lifetime.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

Rick Gekoski examines the life of architect, designer and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Has Anybody Seen A Copy Of Et Tu Healy?

20090825

20100120 (R4)

Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art.

Written by James Joyce in 1891 when he was just nine years old as a protest at the death of the Irish nationalist leader Charles Parnell, the poem Et Tu Healy was printed by his proud father and distributed to friends and family; even the Pope was sent a copy.

But it was never published, and, apart from three lines, no copy of it has ever been found. Rick Gekoski asks where might one be, and, if one were to be found, how much it might be worth.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

Rick Gekoski asks where a copy of James Joyce's childhood poem Et Tu Healy might be found.

The Cradle Of Civilisation

20090901

20100121 (R4)

Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art.

One of the little-reported but culturally significant effects of the war in Iraq has been the loss of works of antiquity from the country's museums. From the Iraq Museum in Baghdad alone, it is estimated that 15,000 objects dating from the dawn of civilisation have disappeared.

Rick Gekoski examines how and why these Mesopotamian artefacts were looted and speculates on what may have happened to them.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

How works of antiquity were looted from Iraq's museums and where they might be now.

05 LAST

The Destroyed Portrait Of Winston Churchill

20090908

20100122 (R4)

Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art.

Graham Sutherland's portrait of Winston Churchill, commissioned by both Houses of Parliament as a tribute to Churchill on the occasion of his 80th birthday, was destroyed after his death by his wife because she hated it so much. Photographs taken before its demise show the Prime Minister hunched with age and dark in mood. A detailed study by the artist for the destroyed painting still hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.

Rick tells the story behind this lost portrait and asks if the rights of an owner override those of the public, and if the Churchills had the moral right to destroy it.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

The story behind a lost portrait of Winston Churchill which was destroyed by his wife.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	02	Lost To The World	20060502		Theft, murder and betrayal behind the rediscovery of Mahler's famous song.
01	04	The Lady Vanishes	20060504		How the most famous painting in the world, the Mona Lisa, was stolen in 1911.
01	05 LAST	The Lost Archive Of Kim Philby	20060505	20130530 (BBC7)	Spies pursued - Rick Gekoski attempts to track down diaries and effects of Kim Philby.
02	01	The Great Omar	20090811	20100118 (R4)	Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art. Rick tells the story behind the fabulous jewelled binding of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which was encrusted with over a thousand diamonds, rubies and emeralds and was regarded as the finest work produced by the bindery of Sangorski and Sutcliffe. Sadly it went down with the SS Titanic and is still lying unclaimed at the bottom of the ocean. A Pier production for BBC Radio 4. The story behind the fabulous jewelled binding of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
02	02	The Lost Career Of Charles Rennie Mackintosh	20090818	20100119 (R4)	Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art. Architect, designer and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh is internationally celebrated as one of the most significant talents of the late-19th and early-20th centuries. His creative genius and contribution to modern architecture and design is unquestioned, with his design for the Glasgow School of Art undoubtedly his masterpiece. But commissions were few and support for his work limited. Rick examines Mackintosh's life and work and asks why he received so little support during his lifetime. A Pier production for BBC Radio 4. Rick Gekoski examines the life of architect, designer and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh
02	03	Has Anybody Seen A Copy Of Et Tu Healy?	20090825	20100120 (R4)	Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art. Written by James Joyce in 1891 when he was just nine years old as a protest at the death of the Irish nationalist leader Charles Parnell, the poem Et Tu Healy was printed by his proud father and distributed to friends and family; even the Pope was sent a copy. But it was never published, and, apart from three lines, no copy of it has ever been found. Rick Gekoski asks where might one be, and, if one were to be found, how much it might be worth. A Pier production for BBC Radio 4. Rick Gekoski asks where a copy of James Joyce's childhood poem Et Tu Healy might be found.
02	04	The Cradle Of Civilisation	20090901	20100121 (R4)	Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art. One of the little-reported but culturally significant effects of the war in Iraq has been the loss of works of antiquity from the country's museums. From the Iraq Museum in Baghdad alone, it is estimated that 15,000 objects dating from the dawn of civilisation have disappeared. Rick Gekoski examines how and why these Mesopotamian artefacts were looted and speculates on what may have happened to them. A Pier production for BBC Radio 4. How works of antiquity were looted from Iraq's museums and where they might be now.
02	05 LAST	The Destroyed Portrait Of Winston Churchill	20090908	20100122 (R4)	Series of programmes in which antiquarian book dealer Rick Gekoski tells the stories that lie behind five very different missing works of art. Graham Sutherland's portrait of Winston Churchill, commissioned by both Houses of Parliament as a tribute to Churchill on the occasion of his 80th birthday, was destroyed after his death by his wife because she hated it so much. Photographs taken before its demise show the Prime Minister hunched with age and dark in mood. A detailed study by the artist for the destroyed painting still hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. Rick tells the story behind this lost portrait and asks if the rights of an owner override those of the public, and if the Churchills had the moral right to destroy it. A Pier production for BBC Radio 4. The story behind a lost portrait of Winston Churchill which was destroyed by his wife.