Brazilian police recovered eight stolen Henri Matisse illustrations that disappeared from the Mario de Andrade Library in São Paulo during a December 7 robbery. The works, valued at approximately US$200,000, were found Thursday in a home in the suburb of São Bernardo do Campo, and a 44‑year‑old male suspect was taken into custody.
The theft was organised by a group that overpowered a security guard and an elderly couple visiting the library, then walked out the main entrance on foot to escape. The artworks were part of a joint exhibition titled "From Book to Museum", which closed the same day the robbery took place.
Police say the suspect, João Paulo Linhares de Araujo, was acting as a storage point for the stolen pieces on behalf of the organisers. It is believed Laéssio Rodrigues de Oliveira, a known art thief, directed the operation and has been in custody since April.
Three other individuals were previously arrested in connection with the heist, and another man and a woman were detained following the discovery of the artworks. The recovered pieces have been returned to the library, where security has since been upgraded.
Despite the recovery of the Matisse illustrations, five engravings by Brazilian modernist Cândido Portinari—originally slated for the same exhibition—remain missing and are still sought by the authorities.
For more details, visit the source of the report at BBC News.
