Brazilian authorities have recovered eight prints by Henri Matisse valued at over 1 million reais from an apartment in the São Paulo metropolitan area, marking significant progress in the investigation of a December 2025 library heist.
Brazilian police have successfully retrieved eight works by French artist Henri Matisse that were taken from São Paulo's Mario de Andrade Library, the city's largest public library, during a theft in December 2025. The recovered prints, estimated to be worth more than 1 million reais (approximately $193,000), were discovered in an apartment located in downtown São Bernardo do Campo, part of the greater São Paulo metropolitan region.
The initial robbery involved two individuals who entered the library, physically restrained a security guard and an elderly couple, and made off with paintings and documents. Police identified the alleged orchestrator of the heist, who was apprehended in April as part of a separate art theft investigation. A second man was arrested at the residence where the Matisse works were found; investigators indicated he was storing the paintings on behalf of the alleged mastermind.
The recovery represents a partial outcome in what has been a complex investigation spanning several months. Of the 13 paintings originally stolen in the December incident, eight Matisse pieces have now been recovered. However, five works by Brazilian artist Candido Portinari remain missing and are believed to have been sold. Additionally, authorities reported that one Matisse painting was among three stolen artworks recovered during an operation conducted in Italy this week.
Matisse, celebrated for his distinctive use of vibrant colors and emphasis on emotional expression rather than realistic representation, is widely recognized as one of the most significant painters of the twentieth century.
