Two stolen Renoir paintings recovered in France, six suspects arrested

Two paintings by Auguste Renoir stolen from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, in southern France, have been recovered, the local town hall said on Friday. The works were taken on 8 September. Six suspects have been arrested in connection with the theft, the town hall confirmed in a statement.

The paintings were Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910) and Jeune fille au puits (1886), which ABC Australia rendered as Young Woman at the Well. France 24 gave the second title as Jeune femme au puits. According to the BBC, thieves cut through a fence and smashed a window at the museum, where the French impressionist lived during his final years. They used an electric saw to cut through the frame mountings and initially made off with four paintings, dropping two in the museum's garden as they fled.

Mayor Bryan Masson, who is part of France's National Rally, praised authorities for recovering the paintings and said the news gave immense joy and profound relief, according to the BBC. "These two paintings are not simply works of art. They are part of our city's history, our heritage," Masson said, according to ABC Australia. France 24 reported that Masson did not give details about where the works were found or their condition, and that there had been no statement from police.

France 24 reported that a source close to the probe told AFP earlier in the week that police had arrested five people as part of the investigation, while the town hall and local authorities said six suspects had been arrested. ABC Australia reported that the regional prosecutor's office said the whole operation took less than three minutes and targeted the most valuable works in the museum.

The BBC reported the museum is home to 12 of Renoir's artworks, while France 24 reported its collection comprises nine paintings by Renoir, according to the museum. The museum opened in 1960 and houses objects that once belonged to him, including his easel and wheelchair, as well as photographs and personal letters. Renoir died in 1919, aged 78, according to France 24.

Earlier this year, paintings by Renoir, Paul Cézanne and Henri Matisse were stolen from a museum near the Italian city of Parma and were recovered in August, the BBC reported. According to the BBC, France saw its biggest art robbery in years in October last year, when crown jewels were stolen in broad daylight from the Louvre in Paris; the broadcaster valued them at €88m (£78m), while France 24 reported around $100 million. ABC Australia reported the Cagnes-sur-Mer theft revived calls for better security and better funding for cultural sites in France.