The helmet and armor from the Renaissance era were made in Milan and encrusted in gold and silver, according to a statement from the Louvre on Thursday.
Baroness Salomon de Rothschild handed over the armor to the French state in 1922. The pieces were on display at the Louvre when they were stolen during the night from May 31 to June 1, 1983, according to the statement.
“The circumstances of the theft of these pieces, little known to the general public, had been a mystery,” the museum said.
The theft of museum staff was “deeply concerned” at the time, but the armor has already been recovered thanks to the work of investigators, according to the statement.
The armor will be displayed in the Art Objects rooms of the Richelieu wing when the Louvre reopens. It was closed to the public in October last year due to coronavirus blocking restrictions.
The armor will be displayed when the museum reopens. Credit: THOMAS SAMSON / AFPGetty Images
These thefts are rare, but not unheard of.
One of the museum’s most famous works was stolen more than 100 years ago.
Before the 20th century, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” was not particularly well known outside of art circles. But in 1911, a former Louvre employee snatched the portrait and hid it for two years.
Public fascination with theft helped to consolidate the place of painting in popular culture ever since.
The “Mona Lisa” is one of the star attractions of the most visited museum in the world.
Last year, the Louvre lost more than 90 million euros ($ 109 million) in revenue and experienced a 72% drop in visitors due to the disruption caused by the pandemic.
However, the museum is taking advantage of the closures by carrying out long-planned renovations.