Bronze Sculpture by Jean Arp Stolen at Art Cologne

Questions have been raised about security at Art Cologne after Jean Arp’s S’élevant (1962) was stolen from Ludorff Gallery’s booth. The gallery had priced the sculpture at €145,000.

Born Hans Arp in Strasbourg in 1886, the sculptor, painter and poet helped establish Dada in Zurich during the First World War. He later engaged with Surrealism and Constructivism. Across his work, he developed biomorphic forms inspired by nature, sometimes using chance to shape their arrangement. The rising, curved form of S’élevant is characteristic of his late work.

The gold-coloured bronze, measuring 28cm, was last seen on Sunday 8 November, displayed unbolted on a plinth at the gallery’s booth. The theft is believed to have occurred between 4.55pm and 5.10pm. Gallery staff reported the incident, prompting a police investigation and a public appeal for information and photographs taken at the booth during that period.

In a statement on its website, the gallery said: ‘It is deeply regrettable that an incident of this kind has cast a shadow over what was otherwise a very successful and enjoyable fair for us.’ In a message to ARTnews, the gallery’s PR and art fair manager, Maya Hanke, criticised the fair’s security measures. Art Cologne’s representative told the publication that the fair was assisting the authorities but declined to comment on specific security measures, citing the ongoing investigation.

The theft comes amid renewed attention to security at cultural venues, including after the Louvre jewellery theft in October 2025. Art Basel Paris also closed early in October 2026 ahead of planned demonstrations, citing safety concerns. That decision showed how public-safety issues can affect the schedules of international art fairs.