Maurizio Cattelan's gold toilet stolen from Blenheim Palace

Maurizio Cattelan's 18-karat gold toilet sculpture, titled 'America', was stolen from Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, UK, on September 14, 2019, just two days after the opening of the artist's first major retrospective in the UK. The theft occurred around 4:50 AM, causing flooding damage to the palace. The sculpture, which was fully functional and installed opposite the room where Winston Churchill was born, had previously been exhibited at the MoMA in New York in 2017. A 66-year-old man has been arrested, but the artwork has not yet been recovered. Thames Valley Police stated they are conducting a thorough investigation. The sculpture is considered a satire on excessive wealth and may have been inspired by Donald Trump. In a related incident, the Guggenheim Museum had offered 'America' to the White House after declining a loan of a Van Gogh painting, but the offer was not accepted. Edward Spencer-Churchill, founder of the Blenheim Art Foundation, had earlier downplayed security concerns, saying the toilet would not be easy to steal.