Stolen Matisse artworks recovered by police in Brazil
A man is arrested after eight works by the French artist are found at a home in greater São Paulo.
Brazilian authorities have successfully recovered eight illustrations by French artist Henri Matisse that were stolen last year from the Mario de Andrade Library in São Paulo.
The artworks, collectively valued at approximately $200,000 (£148,000), were discovered on Thursday at a residence in São Bernardo do Campo, a southern suburb of the city. A 44-year-old male suspect was apprehended at the scene.
The theft occurred on December 7th of last year at the Biblioteca Mário de Andrade. During the heist, two individuals reportedly overpowered a security guard and an elderly couple visiting the library before exiting through the main entrance with the stolen pieces.
This recent arrest brings the total number of individuals apprehended in connection with the case to four.
However, five works by Brazilian artist Candido Portinari, also taken during the same robbery, remain unrecovered.
According to Brazilian news outlet Globo, the man arrested on Thursday, João Paulo Linhares de Araujo, is suspected by police of having stored the artworks on behalf of those allegedly involved in the theft.
Globo also reported that Laéssio Rodrigues de Oliveira, 53, described by Brazilian media as a prolific art thief, is suspected of having orchestrated and directed the crime. He has been in custody since April, following an arrest related to a separate case. Another man and a woman have also been arrested in connection with the library heist.
The recovered Henri Matisse illustrations were created for the limited-edition art book *Jazz*. The five missing engravings by Portinari were made to illustrate a special edition of the novel *Menino de engheno* (Plantation Boy) by Brazilian writer José Lins do Rego. Both sets of works were part of a joint exhibition with the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art.
The thieves specifically targeted the exhibition, titled "From Book to Museum," on its final day. They reportedly entered the library through its main entrance in the mid-morning and proceeded towards the nearest metro station after the robbery.
The local department of culture confirmed that the illustrations have been returned to the library, and security measures at the institution have been enhanced.
Matisse is widely recognized as one of the most influential artists of the 20th Century, and art critics have described the value of the stolen works as "incalculable." Portinari, known for his depictions of rural workers and laborers, is considered one of Brazil's most significant Modernist artists.