A well-organized robbery has shocked the art world in Italy, after several prized paintings by renowned artists such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne and Henri Matisse were stolen from a museum near the city of Parma. According to police, four masked men entered the premises of the Magnani Rocca Foundation on March 22, taking three highly valuable works: “Les Poissons” by Renoir, “Still Life with Cherries” by Cézanne and “Odalisque on the Terrace” by Matisse.
Italian media reports that the robbery lasted just three minutes. The perpetrators managed to get in and out quickly, but were prevented by the alarm system, which prevented them from taking more works from the collection. According to reports, the thieves forced their way in through the main door of the Villa dei Capolavori museum villa, located in the countryside near Parma, and took the paintings from the French Room on the first floor. They then escaped by climbing over a fence.
The foundation said the group appeared organised and had a clear plan, suggesting they were planning an even bigger heist if the alarm had not been activated. The total value of the stolen works is estimated at around €9m, with the painting “Les Poissons” alone thought to be worth around €6m, making it one of the biggest art heists in Italy in recent years.
Italian authorities, including the Carabinieri and the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit in Bologna, have launched investigations into the incident, which was only made public on Sunday. The Magnani Rocca Foundation was created in 1984 after the death of collector and composer Luigi Magnani, becoming one of the most important art centers in the country.
