Degas painting stolen from a museum in southeast France

Degas painting stolen from Marseille museum

PARIS — Police say a painting by Impressionist Edgar Degas worth euro800,000 ($1.15 million) has been stolen from an exhibit in Marseille.

A police official says the painting, “Les Choristes,” (or “The Chorus Singers”), was stolen overnight from the Cantini Museum. The official was not authorized to be publicly named because of police policy.

The French national museum authority said the painting — a small pastel painted in 1876-77 — is worth euro800,000. It belongs to the famed Musee d’Orsay in Paris, known for its impressionist works.

A security guard discovered it was missing when opening the museum Thursday morning. The museum is closed Thursday while the theft is being investigated.

No other details were immediately available.