Italian police recover Cézanne, Renoir and Matisse paintings worth over €9 million stolen from museum near Parma

Recovery announced

Italian Carabinieri from the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit, working with the Parma Provincial Command, recovered three paintings by Paul Cézanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Henri Matisse during searches ordered by the Parma Public Prosecutor's Office. Police announced the recovery on Friday, August 14, 2026, describing the investigation as complex. The works were found at the end of an inquiry that remains ongoing, and no arrests have been disclosed.

The three paintings are Cézanne's "Tasse et plat de cerises" (Cup and Plate of Cherries), Renoir's "Les Poissons" (The Fish), and Matisse's "Odalisque sur la Terrasse" (Odalisque on the Terrace). According to the AP, the Cézanne was valued at €6 million ($7 million), the Renoir at €3 million ($3.5 million), and the Matisse at €20,000 ($23,000). Reuters and ANSA report the combined estimated value exceeds €9 million ($10.4 million).

The heist

The theft took place on the night of March 22 to 23, 2026, at the Magnani Rocca Foundation in Mamiano di Traversetolo, about 20 kilometres from Parma. Police released surveillance video on August 14 showing two masked burglars entering the building, grabbing the three paintings off the wall and exiting immediately, in an operation that lasted less than three minutes.

Accounts of the entry method differ slightly. AP reports that thieves forced open the entrance door, while Reuters states the burglars entered via a window. VRT NWS reports four masked thieves, whereas Reuters and Czech Television cite two. Local media reported that a security alarm interrupted the heist and that the thieves escaped across the museum gardens.

The museum

The Magnani Rocca Foundation was established in 1977 and houses the private collection assembled by the late art historian and music critic Luigi Magnani. The collection includes works by Titian, Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, Monet, Tiepolo, Morandi and others. The museum believes a structured and organized gang was responsible for the theft, according to local media.

Broader context of European art crime

AP reports that the theft followed a series of high-profile heists at European museums, including the theft in October of French crown jewels and other items worth €88 million ($101 million) from the Louvre in Paris. The Carabinieri investigation into the Magnani Rocca case remains open, with authorities working to identify those responsible and clarify all details of the robbery.