Renoir Paintings Recovered After Violent Museum Heist
Two exquisite works by Auguste Renoir, stolen last September from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes‑sur‑Mer, were recovered just weeks later. The paintings — Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910) and Jeune fille au puits (1886) — disappeared when thieves cut through the museum’s fence and smashed a display window.
The local mayor praised authorities for bringing the pieces back, saying the event restored “our city’s cultural heritage.” Six suspects were arrested in connection with the theft.
“These canvases are far more than art; they are part of Cagnes‑sur‑Mer’s history,” said Mayor Bryan Masson, a member of France’s National Rally. Authorities say the thieves abandoned two of the four plundered paintings in the museum’s garden before fleeing.
The rescue follows a string of high‑profile art robberies across Europe, including a three‑minute raid in Parma that stole pieces by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse, and a 2025 hijacking of Italian Renaissance works.
