Two Auguste Renoir masterpieces have made their way back to the Musée Renoir in Cagnes‑sur‑Mer after a dramatic 8 September heist. Police recovered the works the next week and have now arrested six suspects.
All six paintings – including “Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano” (1910) and “Jeune fille au puits” (1886) – were cut ad‑hoc from their frames with an electric saw. The intruders smashed a museum fence and a door, then ran into the grounds, dropping two of the four looted pieces as they fled.
Mayor Bryan Masson, who leads the local council, declared the recovery a “joyful, profound relief” for the town. He praised the security teams, noting the paintings now feel “safe and in their rightful home” once again.
The incident isn’t an isolated blip: France faced a €88 million jewels robbery at the Louvre in October 2023, and a similar Italian museum heist last year led to a quick recover of the stolen works.
With an archive of 12 Renoir works, the Musée Renoir is a prized cultural hub. The gallery houses the artist’s own easel, wheelchair, and personal letters, adding extra sentimental value to the paintings that brought this story into the headlines.
