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One Arrested, One at Large After Daylight Heist of Matisse and Portinari Works in São Paulo

Authorities say the artworks remain missing after the library exhibition's closing-day theft.

Overview

  • Two armed men stole eight Matisse prints and five Portinari engravings during visiting hours Sunday at São Paulo’s Mário de Andrade Library.
  • São Paulo’s public safety office said police arrested a 31-year-old suspect on Monday, while the second suspect remains at large.
  • The artworks have not been recovered, and Brazilian authorities have notified Interpol to track any attempt to move them abroad.
  • Security video released by authorities shows the thieves handling the frames, propping them on a low wall, and one fleeing with prints balanced on his head.
  • The stolen Matisse pieces came from the limited 1947 Jazz book, the exhibition was insured with steel-cable mounts and cameras, and the library stayed open after the robbery.