Salvador Dalí's massive Book of Revelation stolen in France

A 150-kilogram bronze book cover designed by Salvador Dalí has been stolen from a private art centre in central France.

The artwork was taken overnight between October 4 and 5 from the C. Karoutzos Contemporary Art Centre in Issoire, in the Auvergne region. The museum's owner, collector Christian Karoutzos, discovered the theft after one of the building's large gates had been forced open.

The stolen piece is the bronze cover of Livre de l'Apocalypse, also known as the Book of Revelation or The Apocalypse of St John. Dalí created the cover between 1958 and 1961 after receiving a commission from French art publisher Joseph Forêt.

The massive cover is decorated with gold, precious stones, pearls and seashells. The complete book weighs about 210 kilograms and includes texts and artworks by several well-known artists and writers.

The book was acquired by Karoutzos in 2003 and was being displayed at his art centre when it was stolen. The Clermont-Ferrand public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.

Photo: Keystone Press / Alamy