Two Renoir paintings remain missing after French museum break-in
Four works were targeted at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, with two recovered from the museum gardens after the alarm was triggered.
Two Renoir paintings remain missing after a break-in at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, southern France, while two others were recovered from the institution’s gardens.
The missing works are Jeune fille au puits and Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano. Coco Lisant and Portrait of Madame Pichon were abandoned during the escape and have been recovered, according to local authorities.
Mayor Bryan Masson said CCTV showed two people cutting through a fence to enter the museum grounds before cutting through structures securing the paintings’ frames. The museum alarm sounded at 05:48 local time, and police arrived within five minutes.
Masson said each painting was valued at €9 million, an estimate that has not been independently verified. Investigators also found two zip-up bags that may have belonged to the suspects, although their ownership has not been established.
The museum occupies Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s former home and holds 12 of his works. The theft has renewed scrutiny of security at European museums following a series of high-profile art heists.
Masson has called for greater French government funding for local areas and museums, warning that institutions face increasingly organised and determined criminals targeting artworks.
