Home / Crime and Justice / Matisse Art Heist: Stolen Illustrations Recovered in Brazil
Matisse Art Heist: Stolen Illustrations Recovered in Brazil
14 Aug
Summary
- Eight Matisse illustrations valued at $200,000 were recovered.
- Police arrested a suspect at a home in São Bernardo do Campo.
- Five Portinari works remain unrecovered from the library theft.
Brazilian police have successfully recovered eight illustrations by the renowned French artist Henri Matisse. These works were stolen last December from the Biblioteca Mário de Andrade in São Paulo. The recovered artworks, collectively valued at approximately $200,000, were discovered on Thursday at a home in São Bernardo do Campo. A 44-year-old man was arrested at the location.
During the initial heist, two perpetrators overpowered a security guard and visitors before fleeing with the art. While three individuals were previously taken into custody in connection with the crime, the suspect arrested on Thursday is believed to have harbored the stolen art. Notably, five engravings by Brazilian artist Candido Portinari, also stolen during the same incident, have not yet been recovered.
The stolen Matisse illustrations were part of the limited-edition book 'Jazz,' and the Portinari engravings were created for a special edition of 'Plantation Boy.' These pieces were featured in a joint exhibition that concluded on the day of the theft. Authorities have since improved security at the library, and the recovered Matisse works have been returned.
