What happens to stolen art?

About this episode

Thieves who broke into the Renoir Museum in the south of France escaped with two paintings, having dropped two others as they fled the building. The value of the works has been estimated at €9 million, but what are they worth now? Were the thieves stealing to order? And if not, what are they going to do with them? In a world where provenance dictates price, who would buy a stolen piece of art by one of the most famous and collectible painters? The theft is just the latest in a series of high-profile art thefts. In March 2026, an organised crime gang stole a Renoir, Matisse and Cézanne from a private museum in Italy, while last year thieves broke into the Louvre in Paris and took jewels…