Lichtenstein painting goes missing

The World famous painting “Happy Tears” from the American Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein has gone missing amidst an investigation into a scandal over slush funds in Hong Kong. 62 year old Hong Ra-hee is the owner of the painting and one of the most influential and respectable art collectors. She’s also the wife of the Chairman of the Samsung Group, Lee Kun-hee.

Korean prosecutors questioned Hong in a 6 hour session this month about the slush funds, and are interested to learn more about her family’s art collection, including the extremely valuable “Happy Tears” from Roy Lichtenstein.

Happy Tears features a red-haired woman exhibiting tears of delight in a cartoon style work.

Earlier this year, in January, one of Samsung’s warehouses was raided by prosecutors as they searched for the Lichtenstein painting in an attempt to seize it. It is believed to be the most valuable that the Hong family own.

The family also own the Frank Stella painting “Bethlehem’s Hospital”.

Ever since January the paintings have been known by the Koreans as the ‘slush fund paintings’. The case is proving very complicated for prosecutors as they are having difficulty ascertaining who actually owns the works.