Renoir paintings recovered in France after museum theft

French authorities have recovered two valuable paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir that were stolen from the Musée Renoir in Cagnes-sur-Mer during a September heist. The works, ‘Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano’ and ‘Young Woman at the Well’, were found hidden behind a cinder block wall in a private home in Clermont-l’Herault.

Investigators used DNA evidence found on an abandoned protective cover and vehicle-tracking data to identify the suspects. The DNA matched a 29-year-old man already under investigation for drug trafficking. Following the arrests of six individuals, prosecutors stated they had prevented an imminent second heist targeting the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

The theft, which lasted less than three minutes, involved suspects cutting through a perimeter fence with an electric saw. While the paintings were recovered, they sustained damage; ‘Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano’ has a tear in the canvas, and ‘Young Woman at the Well’ has a damaged frame. Both require professional restoration.