In brief
In late November, four thieves broke into São Paulo’s Biblioteca Mário de Andrade, stealing eight Matisse illustrations and five Portinari engravings. Eight of the works were found last Thursday at a house in São Bernardo do Campo, when police arrested a 44‑year‑old man for possession of stolen artwork and a firearm. While the Matisse pieces have been returned, five Portinari engravings remain missing and may have been sold. The police are pursuing the suspects who orchestrated the heist and previously captured other crew members.
Eight Henri Matisse illustrations that had been stolen from a São Paulo library were recovered by police last Thursday.
The eight works, part of a limited‑edition art book, were estimated to be worth about $200,000 (£148,000). They were taken on 7 December from the Biblioteca Mário de Andrade, a public library located near a metro station, and were mainly carried away on foot to avoid security cameras.
Police identified a 44‑year‑old man who was found with the artworks at a house in the suburb of São Bernardo do Campo. He has been charged with illegal possession of the stolen works and is also suspected of having a firearm.
Earlier, three other suspects were arrested in connection with the theft, and one of the alleged leaders, Laéssio Rodrigues de Oliveira, is believed to have organized the robbery.
Portinari, a prominent Brazilian Modernist, also had five engravings taken during the raid. Those pieces have not yet surfaced and authorities suspect they were sold on the black market.
Following the theft, the library bolstered security and plans to rebuild trust in the public institution. Experts note that the Matisse pieces are “incalculable” given their cultural significance and limited availability.
