At all times and cultural epochs, thieves, robbers and schemers have always paid close attention to works of art. This book tells about the fate of some works from Italy, America, England, Germany, France and Russia, which were hunted for centuries. Intricate events associated with incredible thefts and forgeries, mysterious disappearances of paintings and sculptures create an exciting detective story that takes began in ancient times, and has blossomed especially brightly with events in our days. Even the greats of this world, such as Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin, could not resist the temptation of collecting, which resulted in the now famous (and secret) collections. The book is written in a lively, vivid language and will undoubtedly be of interest to the widest circle of readers.