Thieves steal €9m Renoir paintings from French museum

Four paintings by renowned French Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, valued at about €9 million, have been stolen from a museum in southern France.

The theft occurred at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer on Tuesday morning, September 8, 2026, after two suspects reportedly gained entry to the facility shortly before 6am.

Police were alerted when the museum’s security alarm went off at about 5:48am. Officers arrived approximately five minutes later and began searching for the suspects.

Authorities later spotted the alleged thieves on the town’s surveillance cameras, triggering a pursuit. During the chase, the suspects reportedly abandoned two of the stolen artworks in the museum’s garden.

The recovered paintings were identified as Portrait of Madame Pichon and Coco Lisant.

Two other works, Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano and Young Woman at the Well, remain missing.

Investigators said the suspects had reportedly cut through a fence surrounding the museum’s garden before entering the premises and removing the paintings.

The Renoir Museum is housed in the former residence and studio of Renoir, where the artist spent the final years of his life. The property was converted into a museum in 1960 and contains paintings as well as personal belongings associated with the artist.

French authorities have launched an investigation into the burglary and are continuing efforts to identify and apprehend the suspects.

Police are also searching for the two missing paintings, which remain at large following the overnight theft.