Thieves stole three valuable paintings by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse from a museum near Parma, Italy. According to multiple reports, the heist took place in under three minutes during the night of March 22-23.
Key Takeaways
Thieves stole three valuable paintings by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse from a museum near Parma, Italy. The heist took place in under three minutes during the night of March 22-23.
- Thieves made off with 'Fish' by Auguste Renoir, 'Still Life with Cherries' by Paul Cézanne, and 'Odalisque on the Terrace' by Henri Matisse from the Magnani Rocca Foundation.
- The museum believes an organized gang was responsible for the theft.
- Italian art expert Claudio Strinati said that these are minor works of the three masters but could be used for extortion.
- The heist comes after a series of high-profile heists at major European museums.
The stolen paintings are 'Fish' by Auguste Renoir, 'Still Life with Cherries' by Paul Cézanne, and 'Odalisque on the Terrace' by Henri Matisse. The Magnani Rocca Foundation, a private museum located in the countryside 12 miles from Parma, houses these valuable artworks.
The thieves forced open an entrance door with a crowbar and escaped across the museum gardens before the alarm system could fully activate. Local media reported that the heist was carried out by a structured and organized gang. The museum did not post any statement about the theft on its website and wasn't reachable for comment as it is closed on Mondays.
Italian art expert Claudio Strinati told The Associated Press that these paintings are minor works of the three masters but could be used for extortion. The heist comes after a series of high-profile robberies targeting major museums in Europe, including the theft of jewels and other items worth $101 million from the Louvre in Paris last October.
The Magnani Rocca Foundation was established in 1977 and hosts the collection of art historian Luigi Magnani. It also includes works by Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, and Monet. The theft is now being investigated by Italy's Carabinieri and the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit of Bologna.
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