Works of art are stolen from the Mário de Andrade library in São Paulo

Two armed men robbed the Mário de Andrade municipal library, in the center of São Paulo, on Sunday morning (7), and stole 13 works of art. Eight works of art were taken away Henri Matisse and five of Candido Portinari. The objects were part of the temporary exhibition “From books to museums: MAM São Paulo and the Mário de Andrade Library”produced in partnership with the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo (MAM).

The state Department of Culture and Creative Economy confirmed the number of works recovered and assured that the artworks were insured. The library has a surveillance team and a security camera system. The surveillance equipment is being handed over to authorities to support the investigation into the theft. The military police responded to the incident and the Municipal Civil Guard (GCM) intensified its patrols in the area.

The mayor of São Paulo said that the Smart Sampa camera system had identified those responsible for the crime. Security forces are looking for the thieves. The Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo (MAM) expressed “deep solidarity” at the Mário de Andrade Library.

The five stolen engravings by Candido Portinari belong to the series “Boy of ingenuity”. Portinari, an internationally renowned artist, had his works stolen in 2007 from Masp.

The eight deleted Henri Matisse engravings are illustrations from the rare book Jazz. The exhibition presented 20 plates by the artist. The works of Matisse taken are:

• The clown (The clown);

• The circus (The circus);

• Faithful Lord (Mister faithful);

• The White Elephant’s Nightmare (White Elephant Nightmare);

• The Codomas (The Codomas);

• The swimmer in the aquarium (The swimmer in the aquarium);

• The word swallower (The sword swallower);

• The cowboy (The Cowboy).

The Public Security Secretariat (SSP) detailed the dynamics of the theft: the two thieves captured a security guard and a visiting elderly couple. They walked towards the glass dome, placed the works and documents in a canvas bag and fled through the main exit. Library security officers requested assistance from military police patrolling the area, but the suspects were not located.

The case was registered in the 2nd Police District (Bom Retiro) and will be investigated by the 1st Specialized Center for the Repression of Crimes and Miscellaneous Events (Cerco).

The Mário de Andrade Library is the largest public library in São Paulo and the second largest in the country. Managed by the town hall, the institution celebrated its 100th anniversary in February and welcomed more than 207,000 people last year.

The library has been targeted by criminals before. In 2006, 12 rare 19th century prints were stolen. The pieces that make up the book Memories of Rio de Janeirowere only recovered by the federal police in 2024, 18 years after the theft. This fact reinforces the concern about the security of collections and the preservation of artistic heritage in cultural institutions.