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Matisse artworks stolen from São Paulo library recovered by police
Brazilian police have recovered eight artworks by French painter Henri Matisse that were stolen from the Mário de Andrade Library in São Paulo in December 2025. The pieces, which are part of the 1947 ‘Jazz’ series, were found in an apartment in São Bernardo do Campo. The recovered works are valued at approximately $200,000 (over R$ 1 million).
A man was arrested at the residence on charges of receiving stolen goods and illegal possession of a firearm. Investigators stated the man was holding the works for the mastermind of the crime, Laéssio Rodrigues de Oliveira, who was previously arrested in April in Rio de Janeiro.
While the Matisse works were recovered, five engravings by Brazilian modernist artist Cândido Portinari that were stolen during the same incident remain missing. Authorities suspect the Portinari pieces may have already been sold on the black market. The theft involved an organized group that used armed force to overpower a security guard and visitors during the exhibition.
Entities
Biblioteca Mário de Andrade · Cândido Portinari · Henri Matisse · Laéssio Rodrigues · Laéssio Rodrigues de Oliveira · Mário de Andrade Library · Polícia Civil de São Paulo · São Paulo Civil Police