Days before Art Basel Paris opens at the Grand Palais, a brazen daytime robbery at the Louvre Museum saw thieves escape with jewels once belonging to Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. The heist, carried out by three masked men using a cherry picker and power tools, targeted the Galerie d’Apollon and has dominated headlines in France. Art Basel organizers have offered general reassurances about security but declined to provide specifics when asked about steps taken in light of the robbery. The fair is debuting a new invitation-only preview called Avant Première, and features 206 galleries from 41 countries, including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner. It also marks the final edition under director Clément Delépine.
The robbery casts a strange light on the fair’s timing, as VIPs prepare to descend on the newly restored Grand Palais while the Louvre remains closed for forensic evidence. The incident has renewed scrutiny of security at French museums and drawn political outrage, with figures like Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and National Rally leader Jordan Bardella weighing in. For Art Basel Paris, the heist has become the talk of the art world in Paris, potentially overshadowing the fair's exclusive previews and high-value transactions. The fair's response—emphasizing comprehensive measures without specifics—leaves questions about whether security has actually been ramped up.