Priceless de Chirico painting stolen from French museum in broad daylight

A painting by Giorgio de Chirico, titled "Composizione con autoritratto" (1926), was stolen from the Musée des Beaux-arts in Béziers, France, on November 16, 2017. The theft occurred during opening hours, and the canvas was cut from its frame with a knife, leading French media to describe the act as "surgical" and likely commissioned. The work, part of the Jean Moulin collection, is considered priceless due to its unique depiction of de Chirico as a ghost. The museum lacks any surveillance cameras, hindering the investigation by the Montpellier judicial police. The theft sparked controversy, as the mayor of Béziers, elected with support from Marine Le Pen's Front National, had prioritized security. The painting was slated for relocation to a museum planned at Jean Moulin's birthplace, but construction had been halted by local opposition.