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Salvador Dalí Bronze Book Cover Stolen from French Museum in Latest European Art Theft

cultural-heritage · 2026-10-05

On October 4, a bronze book cover designed by Salvador Dalí was stolen from the C. Karoutzos Contemporary Art Centre in Issoire, France. Christian Karoutzos, the owner, discovered the cover of the Livre de l’Apocalypse was missing after noticing a gate had been forcibly opened. The public prosecutor's office in Clermont-Ferrand has launched an investigation. Karoutzos expressed his outrage, stating, "They [the thieves] assassinated France last night." The cover, which weighs 150 kilograms and was created by Dalí between 1958 and 1961, is valued at two million French francs (around €305,000). Karoutzos purchased it in 2003, and the book contains St. John's text from 97 AD along with illustrations from several artists. This theft is part of a troubling trend of recent art heists in European museums, including works by Renoir and Antonello da Messina.

Key facts

  • A bronze book cover by Salvador Dalí was stolen from the C. Karoutzos Contemporary Art Centre in Issoire, France, overnight on 4 October.
  • The cover is for Livre de l’Apocalypse (Book of Revelation or Apocalypse of St John).
  • Museum owner Christian Karoutzos discovered the theft late Monday morning after a large gate was forced open.
  • The Clermont-Ferrand public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation.
  • The 150-kilogramme cover is adorned with gold, precious stones, pearls and seashells.
  • Dalí created the cover between 1958 and 1961 after a commission from art publisher Joseph Forêt.
  • The book was valued at two million French francs (around €305,000) when created, according to The Art Newspaper France.
  • The volume includes text by St. John the Apostle written in 97 AD on Patmos and illustrations by Jean Cocteau, Leonor Fini, Georges Mathieu, and Bernard Buffet.
  • Karoutzos acquired the book in 2003.
  • The theft follows other recent museum thefts in Europe: Renoir paintings from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer and works by Antonello da Messina from the Museo Regionale di Messina.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • C. Karoutzos Contemporary Art Centre
  • Le Figaro
  • The Telegraph
  • The Art Newspaper France
  • Clermont-Ferrand public prosecutor's office
  • Renoir Museum
  • Museo Regionale di Messina
  • Centre d'art contemporain C. Karoutzos
  • parquet de Clermont-Ferrand
  • gendarmerie
  • La Montagne
  • Le Monde
  • Le Parisien
  • Beaux Arts
  • Centre d'art contemporain d'Issoire
  • Parquet de Clermont-Ferrand
  • Gendarmerie de Clermont-Ferrand
  • Musée d'Art moderne de la Ville de Paris
  • Le Journal des Arts
  • Musée du Pays châtillonnais
  • Louvre
  • Beaux-Arts de Paris
  • Office de tourisme d'Issoire
  • Journal des Arts
  • ICI Pays d’Auvergne
  • France24
  • Euronews
  • Telegraph
  • New York Times
  • Smithsonian Magazine
  • Centre d'Art Contemporain de Issoire
  • Clermont-Ferrand prosecutor's office
  • Artribune
  • Centre d'art contemporain
  • gendarmerie's Clermont-Ferrand research brigade
  • Lalique Museum

Locations

  • Issoire
  • France
  • Auvergne
  • Clermont-Ferrand
  • Patmos
  • Greece
  • Cagnes-sur-Mer
  • Nice
  • Messina
  • Sicily
  • Italy
  • Puy-de-Dôme
  • Switzerland
  • Japan
  • Lavaur-La Béchade
  • Paris
  • Vix
  • Louvre
  • Villena
  • Spain
  • Queens
  • New York
  • United States
  • French Riviera
  • Alvernia Rodano-Alpi
  • Lavaur la Bechade Technology Park
  • Alsace
  • Burgundy

Sources

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