Four Renoir Masterpieces Stolen in French Museum Heist

Tue Sep 08 2026 16:15:24 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Four priceless Renoir paintings, each valued at €9m, were stolen from the Musée Renoir in Cagnes‑sur‑Mer, with two recovered and two still missing.

The Musée Renoir in the French town of Cagnes‑sur‑Mer was the target of a daring early‑morning break‑in that saw four of the artist’s valuable works stolen. The thieves, well‑equipped with electric knives and hacksaws, breached the fences and cut through the frame supports, discarding two paintings in the museum’s garden before fleeing. While two pieces—‘Coco Lisant’ and ‘Portrait of Madame Pichon’—were recovered from the garden, two other prized works—‘Jeune fille au puits’ and ‘Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano’—remain missing. Local authorities have called for increased security funding amid a worrying trend of organised art theft across Europe.

Four Renoir Masterpieces Stolen in French Museum Heist

The Musée Renoir in the French town of Cagnes‑sur‑Mer was the target of a daring early‑morning break‑in that saw four of the artist’s valuable works stolen. Authorities say the thieves cut through fences, damaged frame supports, and abandoned two paintings in the museum’s garden before escaping.

Each painting was estimated at €9 million (about $10.4 million) and has earned international attention for its historical importance. The mayor of Cagnes‑sur‑Mer, Bryan Masson, described the robbery as “attacking a part of the history and heritage of Cagnes‑sur‑Mer.”

Paintings on the Up‑and‑Down Staircase

The missing works are:

Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910)

Jeune fille au puits (1886)

The paintings that were recovered after the thieves fled include:

Coco Lisant (1905)

Portrait of Madame Pichon (1895)

Police Response and Arrests

The museum’s alarm triggered at 05:48 local time (06:48 BST). Police arrived within five minutes, but the thieves had already fled. Investigators identified that the suspects were well‑equipped, wearing helmets, gloves, combat gear, an electric knife and a hacksaw. Two zip‑up bags found at the scene are believed to belong to the culprits.

The Broader Picture of Art Theft in Europe

This incident follows a string of high‑profile European art heists this year, including the recent robbers of four Renaissance paintings in Sicily. Mayor Masson has urged the French government to provide more financial support to protect local museums from increasingly organised crime targeting cultural heritage.