Italian police announced on August 14 they have recovered three paintings stolen in March from the Fondazione Magnani Rocca museum near Parma [1, 2, 3, 4]. The works include Paul Cezanne's "Still Life with Cherries" ("Tasse et Plat de Cerises"), Pierre-Auguste Renoir's "Fish" ("Les Poissons"), and Henri Matisse's "Odalisque on the Terrace" ("Odalisque sur la Terrasse") [1, 2, 3, 4].
The theft took place overnight on March 22-23, 2026, during a rapid operation lasting less than three minutes, when two masked burglars entered through a window [1, 2, 3, 4]. A video released shows the burglars quickly entering, removing the paintings, and exiting while an alarm was triggered [1, 2, 4].
The paintings were found during searches ordered by prosecutors. Authorities suspect the theft was carried out by an organised gang [2, 3, 4]. Nine Moldovan nationals are under investigation in connection with the case, with police stating that five are believed to have executed the burglary itself, according to Andrea Pagliaro, chief of police in Parma [4].
The Fondazione Magnani Rocca museum displays a private art collection assembled by Luigi Magnani, featuring works by masters including the recovered artists [1]. Estimated combined values of the paintings vary by source, but exceed $10 million according to some reports. Cezanne's work is valued at around €6 million (~$7 million), Renoir at about €3 million (~$3.5 million), and Matisse's at approximately €20,000 to $23,000 [1, 2, 3, 4].
In a separate case, Brazilian police recovered eight stolen Matisse illustrations from a December 2025 library theft outside São Paulo and returned them to the library on August 13 [2, 3, 4]. This case is not related to the Italian museum burglary.
The investigation into the Fondazione Magnani Rocca theft continues, with authorities focusing on the Moldovan suspects. Police have yet to announce any arrests or further recoveries related to the case [4].
