Thieves return Fuchs paintings
Priceless paintings by an iconic Austrian artist have resurfaced four months after being stolen, it has emerged.Viennese police confirmed today (Weds) that “Architectura Caelestis Monstranz” and “Der Gekreuzigte zwischen dem Versucher und dem Engel der Tröstung” by Vienna School of Fantastic Realism spearhead Ernst Fuchs were placed in the garden of a weekend lodge in Burgenland owned by the head of the artists foundation.Officials said the unharmed works worth around half a million Euros each were sealed in plastic foil and carefully wrapped up in carton by the unidentified offenders.Police suspected employees of the foundation of being behind the heist as officers could not find any evidence of a break-in following the oil paintings disappearance last May. Investigations into who was behind the theft continue.Fuchs is regarded as one of the most influential contemporary Austrian artists. The 80-year-old has received several awards including the Golden Badge of Honour (Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der Stadt Wien) of the city of Vienna.Thirteen prints by late German artist Albrecht Dürer pilfered from a Viennese art collectors apartment, meanwhile, remain missing. The precious works were stolen in summer 2009.