Crossroads Roundup: Year of the Dragon, Amazonian Cave Homes, and More Tales of Art Heists

Our favorite stories on art, archaeology, folklore, and more from this past week.

Welcome to the Crossroads Roundup! This is our weekly roundup of news related to history, art, archaeology, and anything else that our readers might enjoy. While many of our essays are free, the Crossroads Roundup is for paid subscribers only. If you haven’t already, you can sign up below to gain access to all essays, exclusive patron videos, and the Crossroads Roundup:

The Ke Lok Si Temple in Penang, Malaysia, illuminated in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Yesterday, people around the world rang in the Lunar New Year. It is officially the Year of the Dragon.

The Dragon is the fifth out of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. The Dragon is an auspicious symbol of power and strong leadership; those born in the Year of the Dragon are said to be ambitious, energetic, and confident.

Lunar New Year is celebrated by over a billion people, largely in Asian countries from China to Vietnam, Singapore, Korea, and beyond. Many also participate in celebrations around the world, particularly in places where large communities of East Asian immigrants live; for example, San Francisco hosts a notable Lunar New Year celebration.

The holiday, sometimes called the Spring Festival, marks a time of transition between winter and spring—symbolizing a period of rebirth and renewed hope. This article from Time Magazine includes beautiful photos showcasing festivals from many different countries, demonstrating how people of various cultures embrace the holiday.

A stolen Van Gogh and Chagall both make their way home, and a J.M.W. Turner found in an attic goes to auction.

Lately, it seems I’ve come across so many of these ridiculous heists, but as someone who loved the Ocean’s Eleven movies as a kid, I feel compelled to share them with you. Luckily, today’s stories come with happy endings for art lovers one and all!

Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring, Vincent van Gogh ca. 1884. Via Wikimedia Commons.

First, there’s the return of Vincent van Gogh’s Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring (1884), which is now on display again for the public. The painting was stolen from the Singer Laren Museum in the Netherlands on March 30, 2020; the piece was on loan from the Groninger Museum, when pandemic lockdowns prompted the Singer Laren to shut its doors. A thief known only to the public as Nils M (he was unnamed in court documents) took the opportunity to steal the painting, which is estimated to be worth between $3.5 million and $6.5 million.