In 1981, Croatian artist Mladen Mikulin placed a bust of Jim Morrison at his grave in Père-Lachaise cemetery. He created it to honor the legendary singer of The Doors on the 10th anniversary of his death. The 300-pound Macedonian white marble bust sat at his gravesite for seven years.
Over the years, visitors covered it in graffiti, and the nose, mouth, and other pieces were broken off. But then, on May 9, 1988, the bust suddenly vanished. Sadly, no one knew where the sculpture was for decades until it reappeared this year.
The Sculpture Was Discovered ‘By Chance’
On May 16, the Paris Regional Judicial Police Directorate made an Instagram post revealing the unexpected discovery:
“After 37 years of absence, the bust of Jim Morrison, stolen in 1988 from the Père Lachaise cemetery, has been found!” 🎤✨
“During an investigation conducted by the Financial and Anti-Corruption Brigade of the Directorate of Judicial Police of the Prefecture of Police, under the authority of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, this iconic symbol for the singer’s fans was recovered.”
“This was a chance discovery made during a search ordered by an examining magistrate at the Paris court,” the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office told CNN in a statement. No suspects’ names were revealed.
“Obviously it’s a piece of history, and one Jim’s family wanted there on his grave, so it’s gratifying to see that it’s been recovered,” Jeff Jampol, who manages Jim Morrison’s estate, also told CNN.“Now we’ll have to see what kind of shape the bust is in.”
On December 19, 1990, the Morrison family had the epitaph “KATA TON DAIMONA EAUTOU” engraved and placed at the gravesite. It translates to “True to his own spirit,” or “According to his own daimon.”
Jim Morrison’s Final Resting Place Draws Millions of Fans Every Year
The Doors’ singer moved to Paris in the spring of 1971. An avid poet, he was hoping to kickstart his writing career. First, he lived in the George V Hotel and the Hôtel de Nice. He settled at 17, rue Beautreillis with his longtime partner, Pamela Courson.
And then four or five months later, Morrison died at the age of 27. One of their friends, Agnès Varda, called the fire department after Courson found him dead in the bathtub on July 3, 1971. Despite an autopsy not being performed, officials ruled that the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
Undoubtedly, Père-Lachaise is home to famous people other than Morrison, like Chopin, Oscar Wilde, and Edith Piaf. Nonetheless, Morrison’s grave is one of the most visited gravesites at the cemetery. On July 3, many come from around the world to pay tribute at the site.
In 1991, Oliver Stone’s film “The Doors,” starring the late Val Kilmer, came out. The film introduced and reintroduced many to Jim Morrison and The Doors, adding to the gravesite’s popularity.
The remaining members of The Doors — drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Krieger, and keyboardist Ray Manzarek — tried to continue with the band after Morrison’s death. As a trio, they released two albums: “Other Voices” and “Full Circle.” Unable to find a replacement for Morrison, they broke up for good in 1973.
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Police Find Stolen Marble Bust of Legendary Rocker After 37 Years