Overview
- Two armed men stole eight works by Henri Matisse and five by Candido Portinari from the Mário de Andrade municipal library on the final day of a book‑art exhibition.
- The thieves overpowered a guard and a visiting couple, removed the pieces from a glass vitrine, and escaped through the main entrance, according to police.
- After analyzing surveillance footage, police arrested a suspect in central São Paulo and found the getaway car, while the second suspect remains at large.
- The city culture secretariat said the displayed works were insured and that the site had security personnel and a camera system, with all footage provided to investigators.
- Local reports say the missing items may include rare Matisse Jazz collages and Portinari’s illustration Menino de engenho, though officials have not confirmed a full inventory or valuation.