Italian Carabinieri cultural heritage officers have recovered three masterworks by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse, and Paul Cezanne stolen from the Fondazione Magnani Rocca museum near Parma, according to law enforcement officials. The paintings, valued at over €9 million by art experts, were taken during a three-minute night raid in March.
Carabinieri Recover Renoir, Matisse, and Cezanne Masterworks
Italian police successfully tracked down and recovered three influential French impressionist and post-impressionist paintings following what the Carabinieri described as a complex investigation. The works were stolen from the Fondazione Magnani Rocca museum, located in Mamiano di Traversetolo near the northern city of Parma, during the night of 22 to 23 March.
According to officials, the recovered pieces comprise Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “Les Poissons” (“The Fish”), Henri Matisse’s “Odalisque sur la Terrasse” (“Odalisque on the Terrace”), and Paul Cezanne’s “Tasse et Plat de Cerises” (“Cup and Plate of Cherries”). Art market specialists estimated the combined value of the three stolen canvases to exceed €9 million.
Did you know?
According to security footage released by police, the museum heist involved two masked burglars who entered through a window, grabbed the artworks off the exhibition walls, and fled the building in less than three minutes.
The Security Realities of High-Value Museum Heists
Frequently Asked Questions
Which paintings were recovered by Italian police?
Italian authorities recovered Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “Les Poissons,” Henri Matisse’s “Odalisque sur la Terrasse,” and Paul Cezanne’s “Tasse et Plat de Cerises.”
Where and when were the artworks stolen?
The paintings were taken from the Fondazione Magnani Rocca museum in Mamiano di Traversetolo, near Parma, during the night of 22 to 23 March.
What was the estimated value of the stolen art?
Art experts estimated the combined value of the three French masterworks to exceed €9 million.
How long did the museum burglary take?
Police surveillance video shows the two masked burglars completed the entire operation—entering through a window, removing the paintings, and escaping—in less than three minutes.
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