“The Circus” (Le cirque), one of the illustrations stolen yesterday by French artist Henri Mattise / Web
Eight works by the French artist Henri Matisse and five by the Brazilian Candido Portinari were stolen yesterday from a library in the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo. According to Brazilian media, two armed men broke into the Mário de Andrade Library in the city of São Paulo and fled with the works of art.
The site has surveillance devices and security cameras that are checked by police.
The authorities have not yet provided any information about the value of the stolen works by Matisse (1869-1954) and Portinari (1903-1962). The stolen pieces were part of an exhibition on the modernist movement held in collaboration between the Mário de Andrade Library and the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo (MAM). The exhibition entitled “From Book to Museum” ended yesterday. The stolen works of Matisse are the following: The Clown (Le clown); The Circus (Le circque); Faithful Lord (Monsieur loyal); The Nightmare of the White Elephant (Cauchemar de l’Eléphant Blanc); The Codomas (Le Codomas); The swimmer in the aquarium (La nageuse dans l’aquarium); The word swallower (L’avaleur de sabers); and The Cowboy (Le Cowboy).
The canvases on display were illustrations from a rare book by the artist entitled “Jazz,” published in 1947. The exhibition included 20 printed panels by Matisse. Portinari’s five engravings were illustrations from the 1959 book Menino de Engenho.
About The Author
