Brazilian authorities have recovered eight artworks by renowned French artist Henri Matisse that were stolen late last year from the Mário de Andrade Library in São Paulo. Police located the pieces in an apartment in São Bernardo do Campo, a city in the São Paulo metropolitan area.
According to investigators, the eight works are prints from "Jazz," Matisse's celebrated artist's book published in 1947. Their combined value is estimated at over one million Brazilian reais, approximately $200,000.
The theft occurred in December 2025 at the Mário de Andrade Library, São Paulo's largest public library. Two armed men entered the facility and made off with 13 artworks that were on display: eight pieces by Matisse and five works by Candido Portinari, a prominent Brazilian artist.
During the recent police operation, all eight Matisse works were found. Officers also discovered firearms, ammunition, and cash at the apartment. A man present at the location was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property and illegal weapons possession.
Investigators are also focusing on Lásio Rodrigues de Oliveira, a figure known to Brazilian authorities for previous involvement in thefts of artworks and rare books. Police suspect he was among those who planned the robbery, and he is currently in custody on separate charges.
The library has confirmed that the recovered pieces are indeed the stolen works, and they are expected to return to its rare collection. However, the investigation remains far from complete: the five Portinari works taken in the same heist have not yet been located, and police are examining the possibility that they have already been sold and transferred to other hands.
The recovery concludes at least part of an art theft case that caused an uproar in Brazil, particularly because the robbery took place while the library was open to the public and on the final day of an exhibition featuring rare books and artworks.
