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Two paintings by French artist Auguste Renoir, valued at up to $11.2 million, have been recovered by French police following a museum burglary in southern France that led to six arrests, according to French broadcaster BFMTV.
The paintings, Madame Colonna Romano (Mrs. Colonna Romano) and Jeune femme au puits (Young Woman at the Well), were recovered on Oct. 8, a month after they were stolen from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, the painter's former residence.
Together, the artworks are estimated to be worth between €8 million ($9 million) and €10 million ($11.2 million).
The theft took place on Sept. 8, when two burglars broke into the museum after cutting a hole in its garden fence.
The suspects initially took four paintings but abandoned two while fleeing as police arrived, leaving the two recovered works missing for a month.
According to prosecutors, the four targeted paintings were the museum's most valuable artworks.
Following the burglary, Cagnes-sur-Mer Mayor Bryan Masson described the suspects as "real professionals," noting that they had worn helmets, gloves and masks and appeared to have detailed knowledge of the museum.
French authorities arrested six suspects on Oct. 7 across three departments, or administrative regions, in southern and eastern France: Alpes-Maritimes, Herault and Jura.
Two of those detained are believed to have directly carried out the burglary.
Following the paintings' recovery, Masson praised the Marseille Interregional Specialized Court and the law enforcement units involved, including investigators specializing in cultural property trafficking.
"These two paintings are not simply works of art. They belong to the history of our town, our heritage and the legacy left by Auguste Renoir in Cagnes-sur-Mer," Masson said.
He described the recovery as a major relief for residents and supporters of the museum, while authorities continued investigating suspected organized theft and criminal conspiracy.
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