Authorities will address the court this morning to hand over to the widow of painter Jean Paul Riopelle two paintings stolen some twenty years ago and recovered last summer by a trafficker who was trying to sell them to pay off debts .
“We are always happy when the paintings are recovered. These are always stories that concern us,” says Huguette Vachon, the painter’s widow.
The 73-year-old lady believes she remembers that around the turn of the millennium, three thefts took place in her late husband’s workshop in Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson in the Laurentians.
Photos submitted to court
The two paintings by painter Jean-Paul Riopelle were found during a search in Mirabel on July 20. The first, entitled Quien-toi ben, is an etching from 1989. The other is a mixed work from 1985.
Almost 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 application presented to the Saint-Jérôme court for return.
He confided that Luc Plouffe, a drug dealer arrested in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, owned paintings by the renowned artist, according to an affidavit.
As of November 2021, the 57-year-old inmate has been serving a 5-year sentence. He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of possession for the purpose of human trafficking.
According to SQ, Plouffe would have tried to sell the works through his son in order to free himself from his debts.
Investigators then looked at photos taken during two previous searches of the trafficker’s Brownsburg-Chatham home, the document said.
Police then saw a work by Riopelle hanging in the living room, in pictures taken in April 2020.
However, this was no longer present in pictures taken a year and a half later, in November 2021, we read there.
Photo submitted to court
The 1983 Cap Tourmente canvas was seen with the criminal in 2020 but was missing during a further search.
The painting in question, Cap-Tourmente, has not yet been tracked down.
However, additional information prompted the SQ to search the home of Plouffe’s ex-spouse in Mirabel. According to the information given in the application, the paintings are said to have been brought there by his son.
Thus, on July 20, the White Collar Crimes Investigation Department went to the lady’s home armed with a warrant for two paintings stolen during a 2005 burglary.
In fact, the sleuths discovered two works there; a single untitled canvas, wrapped and stored in a closet.
The other, entitled “Quien-toi ben”, was not the subject of the warrant but was also confiscated. Their total value would vary between $33,000 and $45,000.
Although Plouffe and his ex-wife were arrested that day, no charges were brought in this case due to a lack of evidence, explains the Chief of Law and Prosecution (DPCP).
Plouffe would also have declared that he “ignored” who was the painter at the origin of the table that adorned his living room.
As the investigation is complete, the goods should be returned within the next 90 days to their rightful owner, Ms Vachon, who intends to display them.
The one who shared the life of the famous Quebecer for 16 years believes that there are still many priceless stolen works that have still not been tracked down.
“The police work hard. That’s not easy to find. It’s still a pleasure for us to salvage at least the works. It is part of our collection. It is ours,” Ms Vachon concludes.
Pending the conclusion of this court case, the paintings will be held at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for the time being.
– With Frederique Giguere
♦ Jean-Paul Riopelle, who died in 2002, would have turned 100 next October. A play telling the story of his life will be shown soon.
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