Stolen paintings by Cézanne, Renoir, and Matisse worth over €9 million found in Italy: unexpected key to catching suspects
Italian Carabinieri recovered three works by Paul Cézanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Henri Matisse, stolen in the spring from the famous Fondazione Magnani-Rocca collection near Parma.
The works were found almost five months after the daring robbery, which took the criminals less than three minutes. The total value of the recovered works exceeds €9 million.
Main facts about the robbery and recovery of the masterpieces:
- Valuable find: recovered works by Cézanne (€6 million), Renoir (€3 million), and Matisse (€20,000).
- Daring theft: the criminals removed the paintings from the museum at night, spending less than three minutes on the entire raid.
- Investigation success: police got on the trail thanks to restored serial numbers on abandoned tools. The paintings were found during searches on August 14.
Which works were returned
- "Cup and Saucer with Cherries" (Tasse et plat de cerises) by Paul Cézanne. The pencil and watercolor drawing is the most expensive of the three works, valued at approximately €6 million.
- "Fish" (Les Poissons) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The oil painting, signed by the artist and dated 1917, is valued at approximately €3 million.
- "Odalisque on the Terrace" (Odalisque sur la Terrasse) by Henri Matisse. A color aquatint valued at approximately €20,000.
Paintings stolen in minutes
The robbery occurred on the night of March 22–23, 2026, at the Fondazione Magnani-Rocca museum in Mamiano di Traversetolo near Parma.
Surveillance cameras captured masked individuals entering the building, removing the works from the walls, and fleeing through the villa grounds. The entire operation took less than three minutes.
The criminals also attempted to take another work by Renoir — "Landscape of Cagnes" (Paysage de Cagnes), but left it behind after the alarm went off.
How the police got on the trail
The investigation was conducted by Parma Carabinieri in collaboration with the specialized cultural heritage protection unit under the coordination of the local prosecutor's office.
At the crime scene, investigators found items that could have been used in the robbery. In particular, experts managed to restore erased serial numbers on some tools, which helped move the investigation forward.
On August 14, during a series of searches, Carabinieri discovered all three stolen works. Investigative actions in the case are ongoing.
What is known about the museum
Fondazione Magnani-Rocca is called "the Villa of Masterpieces." It houses the private collection of Italian musicologist, writer, and collector Luigi Magnani.
The collection includes works by Titian, Albrecht Dürer, Peter Paul Rubens, Francisco Goya, Claude Monet, Giorgio Morandi, and other renowned artists.
After the March theft, the foundation emphasized that the stolen works are part of the permanent collection and have not only high monetary but also cultural value. Now all three works have been recovered — almost five months after one of the most notable Italian museum robberies this year.
Sources: Arma dei Carabinieri, Fondazione Magnani-Rocca, Associated Press
