Ruben Brandt, Collector

The psychotherapist Ruben Brandt suffers from violent nightmares inspired by 13 famous works of art, including Van Gogh’s “Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin,” Titian’s “Venus of Urbino” and Picasso’s “Woman with a Book.” Four of his patients, all of them highly skilled thieves, offer to steal the paintings, in the belief that his nightmares will end if he “possesses” them. He agrees to this plan, and they break into art galleries and private art collections across the world. Brandt becomes known as “The Collector,” one of the world’s most-wanted criminals. Gangsters and headhunters chase him around the globe while the reward for his capture rises to $100 million. A cartel of insurance companies hires Mike Kowalski, a private detective and leading art-theft expert, to solve the case.