Man arrested for storing stolen Matisse artworks in Brazil

In Brazil, eight illustrations by French artist Henri Matisse were recovered by police after being stolen from the Biblioteca Mrio de Andrade in So Paulo. The theft occurred on December 7, 2025, when two thieves overpowered a security guard and an elderly couple visiting the library. They managed to escape with the artworks, which are valued at approximately $200,000. The police arrested a 44-year-old man named Jo3o Paulo Linhares de Araujo, who is suspected of having stored the stolen artworks on behalf of the actual thieves. This incident highlights ongoing issues with art theft in Brazil, particularly involving high-profile artists like Matisse and Brazilian artist Candido Portinari, whose works were also taken during the heist. While the Matisse illustrations have been returned to the library, five engravings by Portinari remain missing. Lassio Rodrigues de Oliveira, a known art thief, is believed to have orchestrated the robbery and has been in custody since April 2026 for another case. The local department of culture has since improved security measures at the library to prevent future incidents.