Louvre Update

By Louise Peloquin

Eight pieces of jewelry worth an estimated $101 406 800, including items belonging to Emperor Napoléon III and his wife Empress Eugénie, were stolen from the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery at 9:30 AM on October 19, 2025 shortly after the museum opened to the public.

Some of the stolen jewels

The news made global headlines. A few days after the heist, three suspects were incarcerated and a fourth was caught on November 25^th. Despite police intelligence efficiency, the bounty is still nowhere to be found leaving art lovers flabbergasted at how the Louvre could so easily be violated. Barely a month and a half after the burglary, questions arise about the security measures in the world’s most visited museum.

European news outlets have covered the astounding account of two young Belgian pranksters who snuck by security guards to illicitly hang up their own picture in the Louvre’s Salle d’État and then post the whole adventure on TikTok.

Theirs was a minutely prepared strategy. At 5:04 PM on November 15th, Neal and Senne were waiting in front of the museum. Contemplating its masterpieces was not their objective. Far from it. The practical jokers had concocted the insane plan to hang up their own “tableau” next to the Mona Lisa. Before succeeding, they knew that the road would be fraught with obstacles.

The first was getting through security. The jokers expounded: “We fabricated a frame that could be assembled like Legos. In order to pass through the security screen, it had to be dismantled into several pieces then reassembled. We also brought the rolled-up canvas.”

Neal and Senne faced another hurdle. Since the spectacular October 19th Louvre theft, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had instructed all prefects to reinforce security in and around cultural institutions.

“Security was increased because of this robbery” the TikTokers pointed out. “The guards separated us because we had a bag. We were hoping it would pass through the scanners without them noticing. When our bag was being scanned, Neal pulled it through the machine.”

Once Neal and Senne cleared security, they proceeded to reassemble the frame. The personnel was on the prowl causing the two Belgians to lose quite a bit of time. As soon as the frame was put together and the canvas placed inside – a portrait of the two young men – all they had to do was hang it on the wall. The chosen location proved to be another complication. “We wanted it next to the Mona Lisa” they playfully announced.

“After having inspected the Salle d’État, the mission seemed impossible” they noted. The attentive guards and the large crowd of visitors forced them to turn back. Furthermore, speakers were announcing the obligation to exit the premises at 5:30 PM.

It was precisely in the midst of this brouhaha that Neal and Senne succeeded in displaying their “work of art.”

“We quickly hung up the frame. It was impossible to put it next to the Mona Lisa. Too many guards around. But still, we got it in the same room!”

On November 17th, 2 days after the TikTok feat, the Campana gallery, dedicated to antique Greek ceramics, was closed to the public for an indefinite period of time. Laurence des Cars, President of the Louvre, had already sounded the alarm about “the dilapidated state of the museum” and about “the distressing deterioration of some areas.” She pointed out the “fragility” of the Campana gallery’s nine rooms, located on the second floor of the south wing, whose last renovation dated back to the 1930’s. The area had been monitored for several years but recent technical studies revealed the weakness of several beams supporting the 3rd floor. Consequently, closing the entire gallery was deemed necessary,  a “precautionary measure” to protect both the artwork and the public. The closure is forcing sixty-five museum agents to vacate their offices.

Campana gallery room

In January 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a plan for a “New Renaissance of the Louvre” prioritizing the “refurbishment and revitalization of the Sully quadrilateral.”

Sully quadrilateral

The Louvre’s “New Renaissance” is in gestation but developments are already seeing the light. On November 19th Laurence des Cars announced that a police precinct would open inside the Louvre.

Here’s hoping that the most visited museum in the world may be “reborn” like its neighbour up the river, Notre Dame cathedral. (1) In the meantime, tourists are far from being put off by the recent events. On the contrary, access lines are longer than ever and visitors are eager to take selfies not only with Mona Lisa but also with an Apollo gallery background. Nothing triggers curiosity and excitement more than a bit of drama, “n’est-ce pas?”

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1. For a glimpse of “reborn” Notre Dame, click the following link:

https://richardhowe.com/2025/05/16/notre-dame-revisited/#comments