Renoir Masterpieces Recovered After Southern France Museum Heist

Two Renoir paintings stolen a month ago from a museum in southern France have been recovered, according to the town hall.

The artworks were seized on 9 September after thieves cut through a fence and broke a window at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes‑sur‑Mer, the same town where the French impressionist spent his final years.

The mayor praised the authorities for the recovery and expressed that the news brought great joy and relief to the community.

Six suspects have also been arrested in connection with the heist, the town hall confirmed in a statement.

The theft represents the latest in a series of high‑profile art heists across Europe.

The recovered works are Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910) and Jeune fille au puits (1886).

Using an electric saw, the thieves cut through frame mountings inside the museum. They initially fled with four paintings but abandoned two in the museum’s garden.

Mayor Bryan Masson, representing France’s National Rally, said, “These two paintings are more than works of art—they embody our city’s history, cultural heritage, and the legacy Auguste Renoir left to Cagnes‑sur‑Mer.”

Additional details about the recovery were slated to be released later on Friday.

The Renoir Museum houses twelve of the artist’s celebrated works.

Since opening in 1960, the museum displays a range of personal belongings once owned by the painter, including his easel, wheelchair, photographs, and personal letters.

Earlier this year, paintings by Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse were stolen from a museum near Parma, Italy, in a three‑minute raid. The works were recovered in August.

France experienced its most significant art robbery in years last October, when crown jewels were stolen in broad daylight from the Louvre in Paris.

Dressed as construction workers, the thieves infiltrated the Louvre’s first‑floor Apollo Gallery during opening hours.

Employing an angle‑grinder, they forced open display cases and fled with €88 million (≈£78 million) in jewels that once belonged to France’s 19th‑century queens and empresses.

The Louvre subsequently faced criticism for insufficient investment in security.

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