The Mise would have "80,000" pieces approximately, "including several million textile samples", dating from the 18th century to the present day, indicated Alexia Fontaine, the new scientific director of the site of the collections of the Alsatian museum, during a first progress report.

Figures very likely "obsolete" and intended to evolve as an inventory that the museum had never carried out methodically, added Ms. Fontaine, who will pilot this project launched in 2020 for three years.

It had been set up by the State, which had initiated a "formal notice" procedure after the discovery in 2018 of "massive thefts" of parts within its fund, heir to the Mulhouse textile industry and rich in a collection of prints unique in the world.

In addition to this inventory and verification work, this project also includes restoration and digitization actions.

However, it only concerns a small part of its reserves, those contained in the Document Use Service (SUD), which is particularly affected by thefts.

Alexia Fontaine (g), new scientific director of Mise, looks at a book of fabric samples, January 26, 2023 in Mulhouse © SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP

The site has not yet established the number of stolen parts, according to Ms. Fontaine.

In total, the SUD includes "1,303" books of textile samples, "20,000" of these samples as well as "20,056" pieces of graphic art (preparatory drawings, sketches, etc.), she indicated.

"570 books" and "6,084" pieces of graphic arts have so far been "diagnosed and reconditioned", indicated Ms. Fontaine, who could not specify the time required to complete this project.

"I am recruited for three years and to finish," she told AFP.

"The site is titanic" and the sums injected by the State, in addition to those provided by the communities, are "monumental", underlined Alain Charrier, sub-prefect of Mulhouse.

According to the regional director of cultural affairs (DRAC) of the Grand Est, Delphine Christophe, the State has thus invested 550,000 euros.

The work is at a "significant stage of progress", she stressed.

It will also be used to feed the investigation carried out by a Mulhouse judge.

About fifty books that had been stolen were thus found, including several on a public classifieds site, said Alexia Fontaine.

An employee of the Fabric Printing Museum consults a book of fabric samples on January 26, 2023 in Mulhouse © SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP

The case broke out in 2018. To date, only one person is indicted for theft and fraud, the former curator of the museum, Jean-François Keller, who admitted the theft of several pieces.

"The letters rogatory which had been launched by the examining magistrate are now in his office", it was indicated to the Mulhouse prosecutor's office, referring to possible "hearings" to come.

© 2023 AFP