PARIS, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- French Culture Minister Catherine Pegard said Friday that two paintings stolen in September from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer in southeastern France's Alpes-Maritimes department have been recovered.
Pegard confirmed the recovery on X, saying the paintings would be able to return to the Renoir Museum.
Four paintings were stolen from the Renoir Museum early on Sept. 8, with two remaining missing afterward, French media reported. Local authorities estimated the value of the stolen artworks at 9 million euros (10.1 million U.S. dollars). The two missing paintings were the Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910) and Jeune fille au puits (1886).
Created in 1960, the museum is housed in the final home and estate of the famous French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It holds a collection including about a dozen original paintings by Renoir, as well as his furniture, personal belongings, photographs and archives. ■