An extraordinary work of art has been stolen in France: the so-called “Libro del Apocalipsis” – a unique art book featuring a bronze cover designed by Salvador Dalí – disappeared from the Centre d’Art Contemporain in Issoire, in the Auvergne region. The entire piece weighs around 210 kilograms and is considered to be of incalculable value.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
According to French authorities, the theft took place overnight between Sunday, October 4, and Monday, October 5. At the time, the art book was located at the art center run by collector Christian Karoutzos. The Clermont-Ferrand public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation. It is not yet known how the perpetrators managed to remove the work – which weighs more than 200 kilograms – from the building.
A book as a total work of art
The “Book of Revelation” is based on the biblical Revelation of John and was created at the initiative of the French publisher Joseph Forêt. He wanted to create a work that combined literature and the visual arts in an extraordinary way.
For this purpose, Forêt brought together numerous renowned artists and writers of his time. In addition to Salvador Dalí, participants in the project included Léonard Foujita, Bernard Buffet, Georges Mathieu, and Ossip Zadkine, among others. Texts were contributed by Jean Cocteau, Jean Giono, and Emil Cioran, among others.
The result is no ordinary book: the approximately 200 parchment leaves were designed and inscribed by hand. In total, they are said to contain around 95,000 handwritten letters. The creation of the calligraphic work alone took several years.
Dalí designed the extraordinary cover
The work derives particular value from its connection to Salvador Dalí. The Spanish surrealist designed the monumental book cover, which was subsequently cast in bronze; the cover alone weighs approximately 150 kilograms.
The book cover was also embellished with other precious materials. Together with the parchment pages and the remaining components, the artwork weighs around 210 kilograms. It measures approximately 75 centimeters in height and 60 centimeters in width.
Plans were also originally made to recruit Pablo Picasso for the project. However, Forêt was reportedly faced with a choice between Picasso and Dalí and ultimately opted for Dalí.
An extraordinary art object for decades
The work was first presented in 1961 at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris and subsequently shown at numerous exhibitions. Over the years, it found its way to Switzerland and Japan, among other places.
After running into financial difficulties, Joseph Forêt sold the book in 1970. Decades later, Christian Karoutzos tracked the work down in Japan and acquired it in 2003. He subsequently brought it back to France.
According to reports, Karoutzos wanted to have the extraordinary work of art recognized as part of France’s cultural heritage. Now, the book’s whereabouts are unknown.
Value almost impossible to quantify
Even at the time of its creation, the work was valued at high sums due to its extraordinary craftsmanship and the artists involved. Over the years, various figures in the millions have been cited as its value. There is no current, definitively established valuation.
For the owner and the French authorities, therefore, it is not merely a matter of material value. The book is considered a unique cultural object due to its combination of literature, craftsmanship, and the work of significant artists.
The French Gendarmerie is now attempting to determine how the theft was carried out and the current location of the heavy artwork. So far, there are no publicly known leads regarding the perpetrators or the whereabouts of the 210-kilogram “Book of Revelation.”
