Stolen Cézanne and Renoir Paintings Recovered in Italy

Italian police have recovered two paintings by Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir that were stolen in March from the Magnani Rocca Foundation near Parma. The theft occurred in the early hours of March 22-23, when two masked men entered through a window, removed the paintings, and fled in less than three minutes. The stolen works included Cézanne's 'Still Life with Cherries,' valued at approximately US$7 million (R$36.4 million), and Renoir's 'Fish,' estimated at US$3.5 million (R$18.2 million). A third painting, Henri Matisse's 'Odalisque on the Terrace,' was also recovered. The recovery took place during searches ordered by Italian prosecutors, but police did not disclose where the paintings were found or provide details about the perpetrators. The operation is part of a series of recent art thefts at European institutions. The Carabinieri's art recovery squad continues its investigation, and the paintings are now back in the institution's preservation circuit.