Police recover Matisse prints stolen from Mário de Andrade Municipal Library

Brazil's Civil Police recovered eight prints by Henri Matisse on October 13, 2026, that had been stolen the previous December. The works were taken from the Mário de Andrade Municipal Library, located in downtown São Paulo, and were found in an apartment in São Bernardo do Campo, a suburb of the São Paulo metropolis.

Information about the recovery of the prints was confirmed by São Paulo's Secretary of Public Security, Delegate Osvaldo Nico Gonçalves, in statements published by the newspaper Estadão. The prints are part of Matisse's 'Jazz' series, one of the artist's most recognized works.

During the same robbery that resulted in the theft of the Matisse prints, five prints by the artist Cândido Portinari were also taken and have not yet been recovered. Authorities continue their investigation to locate these missing works.

The Mário de Andrade Library, where the events took place, is an important cultural center in São Paulo, housing an extensive collection of art and literature and considered a significant space in the city's cultural life.

The recovery of the prints occurs against a backdrop of ongoing efforts by the police to combat art theft in Brazil, a country that has seen an increase in such crimes in recent years.

Although the Matisse prints have been found, the search for the missing Portinari pieces highlights the importance of security measures in cultural spaces and the need for effective protection of artistic heritage.