OPINION: Louvre jewel theft shows that France is simply too rich

"As politicians decry the 'national humiliation' of the theft of the crown jewels from the Louvre, John Lichfield ponders whether France has simply too many treasures to protect them all properly. The Louvre burglary reminds us of an uncomfortable fact - France is too rich. In terms of cash, the state is skint. In terms of possessions - buildings, works of art, baubles - the French state is loaded."

"I have been to the Louvre dozens of time over the last half century. I knew that the world's largest museum contained the world's most famous painting. I knew that it contained an unparallelled collection of 17th and 18th century art and an extraordinary array of pillaged Egyptian and Greek and Roman treasures. I knew nothing about the French crown jewels, which were comparatively little visited in a 60-metres long gallery."

France holds an abundance of historic buildings, artworks and prized objects while lacking sufficient cash and political will to maintain them properly. The Louvre housed the French crown jewels in a little-visited 60-metres gallery with a first-floor window and balcony that provided an easy access point for thieves. The jewels largely date from 19th-century restorations of monarchy and empire and would have benefitted from secure display and better promotion to attract paying visitors. Republican ambivalence toward monarchical relics may have reduced investment in their protection. Improved security and targeted public presentation could fund and safeguard such collections.

Read at www.thelocal.fr