A daring heist at one of Brazil’s largest libraries has sent shockwaves through the art world. Two armed men stole eight engravings by French master Henri Matisse, along with at least five pieces by renowned Brazilian painter Cândido Portinari, during a visit to the Biblioteca Mário de Andrade in central São Paulo.
The thieves reportedly entered the library through the main entrance in broad daylight, holding up a security guard and an elderly couple, before fleeing on foot toward a nearby metro station. Officials confirmed that one suspect has been identified, while police continue their search for the second. Their getaway vehicle has also been located.
The stolen Matisse works were part of the exhibition From Book to Museum, a collaboration with the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art. Among the missing pieces is a rare collage from Matisse’s limited-edition art book Jazz. Portinari’s works, created to illustrate the novel Menino de Engenho, celebrate Brazil’s rural labourers and form an essential part of the country’s modernist heritage.
Despite the library’s security measures, including cameras with facial recognition, the thieves managed to complete the operation with alarming efficiency. Art experts have described the value of the stolen works as incalculable, reflecting the global significance of Matisse and Portinari in modern art.
The incident comes less than two months after a high-profile theft at the Louvre in Paris, underscoring the vulnerability of cultural institutions to well-planned criminal acts. Brazilian authorities are investigating the heist and working to recover the missing artworks, while the art community anxiously awaits news of their return.
