A WORK BY THE 19th CENTURY ARTIST EDGAR DEGAS VALUED AT £710,000 WAS STOLEN LATE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT FROM A MUSEUM IN SOUTHERN FRANCE. THE COLOURFUL PASTEL, TITLED 'THE CHORUS', SHOWS A GROUP OF SINGERS PERFORMING ON A THEATER STAGE. IT WAS MISSING WHEN STAFF ARRIVED ON THURSDAY MORNING AT THE CANTINI MUSEUM IN THE SOUTHERN PORT CITY OF MARSEILLE. LOANED BY THE MUSEE D'ORSY IN PARIS FOR AN EXHIBITION FEATURING SOME 20 WORKS BY DEGAS THAT WAS DUE TO CLOSE ON 31.JANUARY, IT MEASURES 13 INCHES BY 10. A MUSEUM SPOKESPERSON SAID THAT THE FRAMED PICTURE HAD BEEN UNSCREWED FROM THE WALL. 'AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE WAS NO BREAK-IN', HE SAID, ADDING THAT INVESTIGATORS SUSPECTED AN INTRUDER, A VISITOR TO THE EXHIBITION OR AN INSIDE JOB. MAURICE DI NOCERA, THE CITY COUNCILOR RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZING MAJOR EVENTS IN MARSEILLE, CALLED THE THEFT 'A DISASTER FOR THE MUSEUM'. THE MUSEUM WAS CLOSED THURSDAY WHILE POLICE PURSUED THEIR INVESTIGATIONS, INCLUDING EXAMINING FILM FROM SECURITY CAMERAS.
THE MUSEE D'ORSAY, WHICH HAS BEEN LOANING OUT MANY WORKS IN RECENT MONTHS TO RAISE FUNDS, DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE THEFT.
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