Italian authorities announced on Friday that Carabinieri officers had successfully retrieved three stolen paintings by renowned French artists Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The artworks were found in an apartment in Parma, leading to nine Moldovan nationals being investigated in connection with the theft.
The paintings, which were taken from the Fondazione Magnani Rocca museum near Parma on the night of March 22-23, were identified as Cezanne’s “Tasse et Plat de Cerises,” Renoir’s “Les Poissons,” and Matisse’s “Odalisque sur la Terrasse.” These valuable pieces were estimated to be worth over €9 million ($14.4 million).
A video released by the police depicted the swift theft, where two masked burglars entered through a window, removed the paintings from the wall, and swiftly made their escape in less than three minutes. The Fondazione Magnani Rocca museum is known for its private collection, curated by the late music critic Luigi Magnani, featuring works by prominent artists such as Titian, Francisco Goya, and Claude Monet.
The recovery of these stolen masterpieces marks a significant breakthrough in the case, bringing relief to the art world and the museum community in Italy.