Italian police have recovered artworks by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse stolen from a private museum near Parma, valued at several million euros, and have detained five suspects.
On 14 August 2026, Italian police announced they had tracked down and seized three artworks by renowned painters Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse, stolen earlier this year from a private museum near Parma in northern Italy. The police arrested five suspects.
Police stated that all three artworks were found in the possession of one suspect during searches ordered by prosecutors in Parma province and nearby areas. The five suspects are believed to be members of an organized criminal group involved in multiple burglaries of homes, businesses, and various properties. Authorities also recovered other stolen goods valued at tens of thousands of euros.
The recovered artworks include “Fish,” a painting by Auguste Renoir; “Still Life with Cherries,” a pencil and watercolor drawing by Paul Cézanne; and “Odalisque on the Terrace,” a color aquatint print by Henri Matisse.
Officials estimated Cézanne’s work at about 6 million euros (approximately 230 million baht), Renoir’s painting at around 3 million euros (about 115 million baht), and Matisse’s piece at approximately 20,000 euros (around 770,000 baht), totaling about 345 million baht in value for the three artworks.
The theft occurred at the Magnani Rocca Foundation, located about 20 kilometers from Parma, on the night of 22 to 23 March. CCTV footage released by authorities shows the thieves breaking the glass at the door to enter the building, removing the three artworks hung side by side from the wall, and escaping through the garden outside—all within a few minutes.
Source: AFP