An exceptional, one-of-a-kind art piece known as the Livre de l’Apocalypse
—featuring a 150-kilogram bronze cover sculpted by Salvador Dalí—was stolen from a private museum in Issoire, France, during the night of Sunday, October 4, to Monday, October 5.
The theft at the Centre d’art contemporain d’Issoire in the Puy-de-Dôme department has triggered an investigation led by the gendarmerie’s research section in Clermont-Ferrand. According to the Clermont-Ferrand parquet, the work is an exceptional and unique piece valued at several millions of euros.
The Monumental Scale and Artistic Lineage of The Apocalypse
Conceived by art publisher Joseph Forêt starting in 1958, the monumental volume is inspired by the text of Saint John. The complete work weighs 210 kilograms and stretches 150 meters when fully deployed, containing 150 large parchemins inscribed with 95,000 calligraphed letters. Its creation brought together fourteen prominent artists and writers of the 20th century, including Jean Cocteau, Bernard Buffet, and Jean Giono.
Seven painters—including Salvador Dalí, Tsuguharu Foujita, and Georges Mathieu—alongside seven writers collaborated on the project. The masterpiece’s signature element is its massive bronze cover, which weighs 150 kilograms alone and is adorned with gold, precious stones, and seashells sculpted by Dalí.
Acquisition History and Return to France in 2003
Between 1961 and 1972, the work traveled the globe for nearly 150 exhibitions, viewed by millions of visitors before eventually being stored in Switzerland and later sold to buyers in Japan. As Japanese owners prepared to auction the pieces individually, an Auvergne collector of Greek descent, Christian Karoutzos, stepped in to purchase the work in February 2003.
Karoutzos, the CEO of an art restoration company based in Issoire, explained at the time of purchase that allowing the universal artwork to be scattered across the world was intolerable. While remaining discreet about the exact 2003 purchase price, the owner noted that upon its original creation, the volume had been evaluated at two million francs, establishing it then as the most expensive book in the world.
Investigation and Local Reactions to the Museum Heist
Local authorities have confirmed the overnight burglary, though investigators have not yet determined whether the perpetrators used forced entry. Bertrand Barraud, the mayor of Issoire, described the venue as a private contemporary art museum housing other works of lesser value, noting that the financial and cultural prejudice is immeasurable.
Christian Karoutzos told Ici that It is a cathedral-like, masterful work, unique in the world.
Karoutzos expressed profound despair over the loss, telling regional radio that France and its national heritage had suffered an irreparable blow during the night. The artwork’s owner had planned to exhibit the bronze cover and selected parchemins at the Issoire center through the autumn season, having given recent interviews discussing the display.
