The Poznan National Museum is exhibiting Claude Monet’s Beach of Pourville following the canvas was recovered this year after being stolen from the museum in 2000.

The painting has had to undergo thorough renovation after being cut from its frame by Robert Z. (surname withheld due to Poland’s privacy law), who told a court in July he stole the painting “because he loved it”.

Wojciech Suchocki, director of the Poznan National Museum says the painting remains priceless, even after extensive renovation.

“It is not only the only Monet in a Polish collection. It’s also the only Monet which was ever stolen,” he told Polish Radio.

The canvass was cut out from it’s frame and hidden by the thief in a cupboard at his parent’s house. Authorities had all but given up hope of finding the work until a policeman from Poznan, analyzing fingerprints from a completely different investigation found that they matched those taken from the frame of the stolen painting.

Several days later Robert Z. was behind bars and the canvass safe in the hands of Museum specialists. (ab/pg)