Two paintings by French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir are missing after a heist at a museum dedicated to the artist in southeastern France, local officials said.
The theft took place at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, near Nice on the French Riviera. The thieves removed four paintings but abandoned two as they fled. Cagnes-sur-Mer Mayor Bryan Masson estimated the four works’ combined value at 9 million euros, or about $10.5 million.
The robbery adds to concerns over the theft of valuable artworks from European museums. In January 2025, thieves used explosives to break into a Dutch museum and steal ancient treasures, including a gold Thracian helmet.
Two Renoir paintings remain missing
The missing works are “Madame Colonna Romano,” painted in 1910, and “Jeune femme au puits,” or “Young Woman at the Well,” from 1886, according to the mayor’s office. The thieves also removed “Portrait of Madame Stephen Pichon,” from 1895, and “Coco Lisant,” painted in 1905. They abandoned both works as they fled.
Renoir painted Colonna Romano, a comedian who was in a relationship with his eldest son, Pierre, several times. “Coco Lisant” depicts Renoir’s youngest son, Claude, who was known as Coco. The museum has 13 Renoir paintings and about 40 sculptures on display.
Thieves cut through fence to enter museum
Masson said the thieves entered the museum grounds after cutting through a fence. They were reportedly wearing helmets, gloves, and combat gear. They also carried an electric knife and a hacksaw. The mayor believes the thieves intended to take more artworks but were interrupted by the museum’s alarm.
ART HEIST: Two thieves cut through a garden fence and broke into the Renoir Museum on the French Riviera before dawn Tuesday, stealing four paintings reportedly valued at roughly $10.5 million.
Police arrived within five minutes of the alarm sounding at 5:48 a.m. and chased the… pic.twitter.com/10e15Enyeh
— Fox News World (@FNCGlobalNews) September 8, 2026
The alarm went off at 5:48 a.m. Municipal police arrived about five minutes later. “The perpetrators are being actively sought and the investigation is ongoing,” Masson said. He described the robbery as an attack on the history and heritage of Cagnes-sur-Mer.
France faces renewed museum security concerns
The theft comes as France works to strengthen security at cultural institutions following a major heist at the Louvre in Paris in October 2025. The robbery caused widespread concern in the international museum community and prompted fresh debate about protecting major collections. The director of Greece’s Acropolis Museum also responded to the Louvre heist at the time.
France also has a long history of high-profile art thefts. In 1911, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa disappeared from the Louvre. The painting was recovered more than two years later, but the extraordinary attention surrounding the theft helped make the Mona Lisa famous worldwide.
The Renoir Museum occupies the Domaine des Collettes, where the artist spent the final 12 years of his life. Renoir died in Cagnes-sur-Mer in 1919. Police have not announced any arrests as the search for the two missing paintings continues.
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