Police recover eight Matisse works stolen in Brazil heist
Five pieces by the Brazilian artist Candido Portinari, taken in the same heist last December, remain missing
Eight Henri Matisse works, once stolen in an armed robbery at the Mário de Andrade Library in São Paulo, have been recovered by state civil police. The pieces, from the artist's 1947 Jazz book, have been returned to the library, yet five Candido Portinari pieces remain missing and may have been sold, according to São Paulo State Public Security.
The stolen works were found in an apartment in São Bernardo do Campo on August 13th, with a suspect arrested and a firearm discovered. The eight pieces, valued over $190,000, were stolen on December 7th, 2025, during an exhibition at the library. Two armed men entered the library, overwhelmed a security guard and visitors, and fled with 13 Matisse and Portinari works.
The theft occurred during the final day of the "Do livro ao museu" exhibition, a collaboration between Mam São Paulo and the Mário de Andrade Library. The recovery highlights the importance of protecting Brazil's cultural heritage.
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