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Brazil recovery after raid
Brazilian police recovered eight works by French artist Henri Matisse that were stolen from a public library in Sao Paulo last year, authorities said Thursday.
“Brazilian police have recovered eight works by French artist Henri Matisse”
The prints, valued at more than 1 million Brazilian reais (about $200,000), were discovered at a home in Sao Bernardo do Campo, south of Sao Paulo, following a months-long investigation.
A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property, and police also reportedly seized a firearm, ammunition and cash during the operation.
The works were among 13 pieces stolen from the Mario de Andrade Library on Dec. 7, 2025, when two armed men entered the building, overpowered a security guard and an elderly couple who were visiting an exhibition, and escaped through the main entrance.
Italy heist, three paintings
Italian police recovered three stolen paintings by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse worth millions of euros that were stolen earlier this year from a private museum near the northern city of Parma, police said Friday.
The Carabinieri’s art recovery squad said the paintings were discovered during searches ordered by prosecutors, and the investigation is ongoing.
The recovered works were “Fish” by Auguste Renoir, “Still Life with Cherries” by Paul Cézanne, and “Odalisque on the Terrace” by Henri Matisse, with the Cézanne valued at 6 million euros ($7 million), the Renoir at 3 million euros ($3.5 million), and the Matisse at 20,000 euros ($23,000).
The heist at the Magnani Rocca Foundation, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Parma, took place on the night of March 22-23, with thieves forcing open the entrance door and local media reporting they took the paintings in less than three minutes and escaped across the museum gardens.
Arrests and next steps
In Brazil, police said the recovered works had been formally returned to the library and would undergo conservation assessments before being reintegrated into its collection, while Sao Paulo’s municipal government said security protocols at the library had been strengthened since the robbery.
“"The recovery of these eight works is enormously important for Sao Paulo's culture and heritage"”
Municipal Culture Secretary Toto Parente said, "The recovery of these eight works is enormously important for Sao Paulo's culture and heritage," and the city said it added additional training and the deployment of 30 security guards.
In Italy, the Magnani Rocca Foundation theft was tied to a structured and organized gang belief, with local media reporting the alarm interrupted the group during the March 22-23 raid.
The investigation remains active as Italian authorities said the paintings were discovered during searches ordered by prosecutors, but no details were given, and the investigation is ongoing.