Eight stolen Henri Matisse illustrations were recovered by police in São Paulo, Brazil.
The artworks, worth roughly $200,000, were found Thursday on a home in São Bernardo do Campo, south of the city. A 44‑year‑old man was arrested at the scene.
The theft occurred on 7 December last year when two thieves overpowered a security guard and an elderly couple inside the Biblioteca Mario de Andrade, carrying away the pieces through the main entrance.
Three other people have been arrested in connection with the incident. Five engravings by Brazilian modernist Cândido Portinari taken during the heist have not yet been recovered and authorities suspect the missing works were sold.
The arrested man, João Paulo Linhares de Araujo, is suspected of storing the Matisse artworks on behalf of those involved in the theft and of illegal firearm possession.
Laéssio Rodrigues de Oliveira, 53, described as a prolific art thief, is believed to have planned and directed the crime and has been in custody since April after other arrests.
The Matisse illustrations, created for a limited‑edition art book, were part of an exhibition titled “From Book to Museum” at the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art. The excursions were the final day of the show.
After the recovery, the library’s security has been strengthened and the illustrations have been returned to their original display.
Henri Matisse is regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and the value of the stolen works is considered incalculable.
