Suspect Arrested in São Paulo Art Heist; Stolen Matisse and Portinari Works Remain Unrecovered

Daylight Robbery at Mário de Andrade Library

Brazilian authorities have announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with the audacious daylight art heist that occurred on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at the Mário de Andrade Library in downtown São Paulo. The robbery resulted in the theft of 13 valuable artworks, comprising eight engravings by French master Henri Matisse and five pieces by Brazilian modernist Candido Portinari. Despite the arrest, the stolen artworks have not yet been recovered and have been added to the Interpol watchlist.

The incident unfolded during public visiting hours on the final day of the 'Do livro ao museu' (From the Book to the Museum) exhibition, a collaboration between the library and the Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM-SP). Two armed men entered the library, brandished firearms, and reportedly subdued a security guard and an elderly couple. They then proceeded to break a glass display case, remove the artworks, and place them into a canvas bag before fleeing the scene.

Identification and Arrest of Suspect

The arrest of one suspect took place on Monday, December 8, 2025, in central São Paulo, less than 24 hours after the robbery. Police identified the individual through extensive investigative work, including the analysis of CCTV footage from both the library and the city's sophisticated monitoring system, which incorporates facial recognition technology. Authorities stated that the footage provided clear images of the suspects' movements before and after the theft, enabling investigators to track one of them to a downtown location.

The getaway vehicle used by the thieves was also located shortly after the crime and has since been transferred for forensic examination. Police are continuing their search for the second suspect involved in the heist.

Details of the Stolen Artworks

The stolen collection includes significant works from both artists. The eight engravings by Henri Matisse are from his 1947 limited-edition book 'Jazz', of which only 300 copies exist worldwide. Specific titles identified among the stolen Matisse pieces include 'Le clown', 'Le cirque', 'Monsieur loyal', 'Cauchemar de l'Eléphant Blanc', 'Le Codomas', 'La nageuse dans l'aquarium', 'L'avaleur de sabres', and 'Le Cowboy'. The five stolen works by Candido Portinari are illustrations from the 1959 book 'Menino de Engenho' ('Plantation Boy'), a classic of Brazilian literature.

While the exact value of the stolen artworks has not been officially disclosed, works by Matisse can command millions of dollars, with a series of his drawings selling for over $2.5 million in October, and his record price for a single piece reaching $80.8 million in 2018. The Municipal Secretariat of Culture and Creative Economy confirmed that the exhibited works had a valid insurance policy.

Ongoing Investigation and Security Concerns

The São Paulo police continue their investigation to identify and apprehend the second perpetrator and to recover the stolen art. Brazilian news outlet G1 aired video footage reportedly showing one of the alleged thieves carrying several artworks through the street in broad daylight, at one point placing them next to a pile of trash before running away. It is speculated that the theft may have been commissioned by an art trafficking network.

The incident has raised questions regarding the security of public art collections in Brazil, coming less than two months after a high-profile robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Officials have stated that the Mário de Andrade Library is equipped with a security team and camera system, and all relevant material is being provided to the police for the ongoing investigation.