Two Renoir masterpieces worth €9million each were stolen from the Musée Renoir in the south‑eastern French town of Cagnes‑sur‑Mer. The thieves broke in early Tuesday, cutting through the fence, slipping past the gallery’s frame sculptures, and triggering an alarm at 05:48.
Police arrived within five minutes, but the suspects managed to escape, leaving behind two paintings in the museum gardens. Those works were recovered: “Portrait of Madame Pichon” (1895) and “Coco Lisant” (1905).
The missing pieces, both priceless, remain absent: “Jeune fille au puits” (1886) and “Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano” (1910). The mayor described the act as “attacking a part of the history and heritage of Cagnes‑sur‑Mer.”
The museum, home to 12 of Renoir’s works, once housed the artist’s easel, wheelchair and many personal artefacts. Since the museum’s opening in 1960, it has struggled with security as art theft continues to rise in Europe – a trend that also affected the Louvre earlier last year and a Sicily museum last month.
Mayor Bryan Masson has called on the French government for more funding to bolster museum protection, warning that organised criminals are getting increasingly bold.
The latest heist underscores the need for stronger safeguards and a coordinated response to safeguard cultural treasures across the continent.
