Milan — Italian authorities have successfully retrieved three artworks by renowned artists Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse. These pieces, valued at millions of euros, were stolen from a private museum near Parma earlier this year. Authorities announced on Friday that five individuals had been detained in connection with the thefts.
The Italian Carabinieri’s art recovery squad reported that the art pieces were discovered during searches executed by prosecutors in Parma and nearby provinces. The suspects are believed to be part of an organized crime group responsible for a series of thefts from homes, businesses, and other properties. Alongside the artworks, police managed to recover stolen goods worth tens of thousands of euros.
Meanwhile, Brazilian police recently located eight stolen works by Matisse during an apartment raid near São Paulo. No links have been found between these thefts and the incidents in Italy.
The recovered artworks in Italy include “Fish,” a painting by Auguste Renoir, “Still Life with Cherries,” a pencil and watercolor piece by Paul Cézanne, and “Odalisque on the Terrace,” a color aquatint by Henri Matisse. The estimated values of the artworks are as follows: Cézanne at 6 million euros ($7 million), Renoir at 3 million euros ($3.5 million), and Matisse at 20,000 euros ($23,000).
The theft occurred at the Magnani Rocca Foundation, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Parma, during the night of March 22-23. Video evidence shows the thieves breaking in through a door window, removing the artworks from adjoining walls, and escaping through the gardens within minutes.
Authorities uncovered vital evidence at the crime scene, including a pickaxe and fire extinguisher with obliterated serial numbers. Forensic experts reconstructed the serial numbers, connecting them to an apartment linked to one of the suspected gang members. The detained suspects are reported to be Moldovan natives residing in the Parma area.
Founded in 1977, the Magnani Rocca Foundation houses the art collection of art historian Luigi Magnani, featuring works by Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, and Monet. Local media suggested a well-organized gang planned the theft, although their actions were interrupted by the museum’s alarms.
The recovery follows a notable series of art heists across Europe, including the October theft of French crown jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris, valued at 88 million euros ($101 million).
Brazilian authorities have announced that the recovered Matisse artworks, valued at over 1 million reais ($193,000), were found in São Bernardo do Campo, outside São Paulo. São Paulo police reported the arrest of a man alleged to have held the prints for another individual, previously detained in April during a separate art theft investigation.
These artworks belong to an artbook titled Jazz by Henri Matisse, known for his colorful and expressive style. The recovered pieces include “Le Clown,” “Le Cirque,” “Monsieur Loyal,” “Cauchemar de L’Eléphant Blanc,” “Le Codomas,” “La Nageuse Dans L’Aquarium,” “L’Avaleur de Sabres,” and “Le Cowboy.”
The recovery of these artworks marks a significant progress in the investigation initiated in December 2025 when São Paulo’s Mário de Andrade library was burgled, resulting in the theft of 13 art and historical pieces. Five works by Brazilian artist Cândido Portinari remain missing.