The Great Art Heist of 1911

Thomas James Foster (1868 - 1952)

Thomas James Foster is a remembered for a bold art theft in 1907 involving works owned by James Joicey, 1st Baron Joicey.

In 1907, Foster stole several valuable paintings from Lord Joicey’s residence, which was known for housing an impressive private collection. Joicey, a wealthy industrialist, had acquired artworks typical of elite British collectors of the time—often including Old Masters and fine European paintings.

The exact list of paintings is not consistently documented in widely available records, but they were described as high-value works from established European schools

They were easily transportable canvases suggesting Foster planned resale rather than personal keeping. Art theft at the time often targeted pieces that could be quietly sold through intermediaries or smuggled abroad.

The list of six paintings stolen were listed as:-

"Tivoli", a water colour by Turner:
"Afternoon" by Barrett
"A Spanish Beauty" by Cuvillon
"A Rustic Student" by Hunt
"The Vale of Richmond" by Wimperis
"Washing Day on Lake Como" by Birkett Foster.

The pictures were stated to be of very great value in court, expressed as anything from £8,000 to £10,000, which is about £1.5m today.

Recent Turner oil paintings have sold for up to £30.3m

Outside "the room where it happened"