Rodin Sculpture Stolen from Israel Museum

The Israel Museum says a statue by French sculptor Auguste Rodin was stolen during the facility's recently completed renovation.

The nude bronze of French novelist Honore de Balzac was one of a series of studies Rodin cast for a monument to Balzac on display in Paris.

It was donated to the museum by the Jewish-American impresario and lyricist Billy Rose.

The museum said the theft was discovered three months ago and immediately reported to police. Police says an investigation is ongoing.

The statue is 50 inches high by 24 inches wide (127 centimeters high and 61 centimeters wide) and weighs about 140 pounds (about 65 kilograms).

The museum said it could not provide a value for the piece.