Art Heist Reversed: Eight Matisse Illustrations Recovered in Brazil

Police in São Paulo managed to recover eight stolen illustrations by famed French artist Henri Matisse, previously taken from the Mario de Andrade Library last December.

The works, worth around $200,000, were uncovered Thursday in the home of a 44‑year‑old suspect who was arrested at the scene. The thieves had breached the library by overrunning a security guard and two elderly visitors, then slipped out through the main door.

Three additional suspects have already been detained, while five paintings by Brazilian icon Cândido Portinari, also removed during the robbery, remain unaccounted for. Police suspect that the suspect in custody stored the stolen items for the masterminds behind the crime.

The stolen works were part of a joint exhibition with the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art, titled “From Book to Museum,” which ran until its final day. After the recovery, the library’s security was upgraded to prevent future incidents.

Art lovers know Matisse as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, and experts say the value of the recovered pieces is “incalculable.” Cândido Portinari, celebrated for his depictions of rural workers, remains a celebrated figure in Brazilian modernism.