Three people reportedly broke in and stole the valuable artefact, according to a press release from the museum located in the Belgian province of Hainaut.
The porcelain wine jar with aquatic decoration is a masterpiece from the imperial Chinese workshops of the 16th century Ming dynasty. The jar is the only thing that was stolen during the burglary.
Recognised as a “treasure” by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the important piece was acquired by Belgian industrialist Raoul Warocqué after his diplomatic trip to China in 1912.
The Mariemont police were immediately alerted by the security team and arrived on the scene on Saturday night. The federal forensic police followed on Sunday morning and an investigation is currently underway.
Despite the incident, the museum remained open to the public on Sunday.
