The theft of a painting by Camille Corot (1796-1875) at about noon on Sunday May 4th 1998 in the heart of the Louvre museum in Paris prompted a vast but vain search by police and security attendants in the premises. The painting, titled «A path in Sèvres » and measuring 34 x 49 cm was cut with a razor blade despite the presence of a protective glass and monitoring video cameras in the room where it was exhibited. Thousands of visitors were blocked before exit doors and searched intensively by policemen but the thief had apparently managed to leave the museum before security attendants had noticed the disappearance of the painting. Apart from the discomfort suffered by many visitors - some of them fainted in the long queues before the exit doors - this theft fuelled polemics about security measures taken by museum officials. The most spectacular theft took place at the turn of the century when the famous Leonardo da Vinci's « Joconda » disappeared from the museum. The painting, stolen by an Italian house-painter named Vicenzo Perugia who wanted to have it returned to his country, was recovered two years later after French poet Apollinaire and Spanish painter Pablo Picasso had been suspected of being involved in such theft. The Louvre museum had years of respite until the 1990's and after it was modernised. Despite sophisticated security systems, it suffered a series of thefts committed by individuals. In January 1995, a 19th century painting by French painter Turpin de Crissé was stolen after being cut with a razor blade. A week later a 17 kilo bronze halberd from a 17th entury sculpture and measuring 112 cm was taken away and found outside the entrance of the museum following an anonymous phone call. Last December, security attendants discovered that a 4500 year-old Sumerian stone statue had been beheaded. In January a 4th century B.-C marble ex-voto dedicated to Zeus Meilichios was also stolen and four weeks later a downcast mathematician broke the head of a statue representing a Roman dignitary. Years ago, a young man also stole two small paintings, including a work by Renoir which were recovered from a Parisian antique dealer. Museum officials had asserted in 1995 that strong safety measures such as protecting paintings with glass panels had been taken to prevent thefts but it seems that security in the Louvre cannot be totally ensured. The Corot painting is worth between US $ 200,000 and 500,000 but no one on the market would be foolish enough to acquire it.
The theft of a painting by Camille Corot (1796-1875) at about noon on Sunday May 4th 1998 in the heart of the Louvre museum in Paris prompted a vast but vain search by police and security attendants in the premises. The painting, titled «A path in Sèvres » and measuring 34 x 49 cm was cut with a razor blade despite the presence of a protective glass and monitoring video cameras in the room where it was exhibited. Thousands of visitors were blocked before exit doors and searched intensively by policemen but the thief had apparently managed to leave the museum before security attendants had noticed the disappearance of the painting. Apart from the discomfort suffered by many visitors - some of them fainted in the long queues before the exit doors - this theft fuelled polemics about security measures taken by museum officials. The most spectacular theft took place at the turn of the century when the famous Leonardo da Vinci's « Joconda » disappeared from the museum. The painting, stolen by an Italian house-painter named Vicenzo Perugia who wanted to have it returned to his country, was recovered two years later after French poet Apollinaire and Spanish painter Pablo Picasso had been suspected of being involved in such theft. The Louvre museum had years of respite until the 1990's and after it was modernised. Despite sophisticated security systems, it suffered a series of thefts committed by individuals. In January 1995, a 19th century painting by French painter Turpin de Crissé was stolen after being cut with a razor blade. A week later a 17 kilo bronze halberd from a 17th entury sculpture and measuring 112 cm was taken away and found outside the entrance of the museum following an anonymous phone call. Last December, security attendants discovered that a 4500 year-old Sumerian stone statue had been beheaded. In January a 4th century B.-C marble ex-voto dedicated to Zeus Meilichios was also stolen and four weeks later a downcast mathematician broke the head of a statue representing a Roman dignitary. Years ago, a young man also stole two small paintings, including a work by Renoir which were recovered from a Parisian antique dealer. Museum officials had asserted in 1995 that strong safety measures such as protecting paintings with glass panels had been taken to prevent thefts but it seems that security in the Louvre cannot be totally ensured. The Corot painting is worth between US $ 200,000 and 500,000 but no one on the market would be foolish enough to acquire it.
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