On November 30, 2000, four paintings by Edouard Cortes were recovered in Kalispell, Montana, following an eight month investigation conducted by the FBI's San Francisco Division. Edouard Cortes (1882 - 1969), is considered to be one of the great masters of French impressionism. He began his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His first exhibition was in 1901 and brought him immediate fame. His work can be found in some of the most prestigious collections in Europe, Australia, Asia, and North America. The recovered paintings were stolen in 1988 during a burglary at the Simic Gallery in Carmel, California.