Armed Robbers Steal Eight Matisse Engravings (and Five Portinari Works) From São Paulo Library

05:07 AM, 12/08/2025

Eight engravings by Henri Matisse and five works by Brazilian painter Candido Portinari were stolen from São Paulo's Mario de Andrade Library after two armed men held up a security guard and an elderly couple. The pieces, including collages reproduced in Matisse's 1947 book Jazz, were on display in the "From the Book to the Museum" exhibition. Authorities, who say the library has security cameras, are collecting evidence; no value has been disclosed.

Eight engravings by Henri Matisse and five works by Candido Portinari were stolen from the Mario de Andrade Library in São Paulo, authorities said Sunday.

Police told AFP that two armed men entered the library, held up a security guard and an elderly couple visiting the premises, then went into the glass dome where the exhibition items were displayed. "They put the documents and the eight engravings into a canvas bag. The pair then fled through the main exit," the statement said.

The stolen pieces were part of a modern art exhibition titled "From the Book to the Museum," a collaboration between the Mario de Andrade Library and the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo. According to Folha de S.Paulo, the haul included collages reproduced in Matisse's 1947 art book Jazz.

"The pair held up a security guard and an elderly couple who were visiting the library," police said in a statement sent to AFP.

Officials have not released an estimated value for the stolen works. The exhibition had been scheduled to close on Sunday. The São Paulo mayor's office said law enforcement officers were on site gathering evidence and that the library is equipped with security cameras.

Authorities noted the theft occurred nearly two months after thieves made off with roughly $100 million in jewelry from the Louvre in Paris — a reminder of growing concern about high-profile art and museum security worldwide.

Investigators are asking anyone with information or footage related to the incident to contact São Paulo police.

Armed Robbers Steal Eight Matisse Engravings (and Five Portinari Works) From São Paulo Library

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