Gang Steals Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse in Three-Minute Museum Heist

Paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse, worth millions, were stolen in a three-minute heist at a museum near Parma.

Rabat – Paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse worth millions of euros were stolen in a rapid heist at a museum near the Italian city of Parma, police said.

Four masked men entered the Magnani Rocca Foundation villa on March 22, making off with Les Poissons by Renoir, Still Life with Cherries by Cézanne, and Odalisque on the Terrace by Matisse.

The gang was in and out within three minutes, according to Italian media reports, and was only interrupted by the museum’s alarm system, which prevented them from stealing additional works.

The institution is the largest target of high-profile art theft, following the brazen daylight robbery of priceless jewels from the Louvre Museum last October.

A ‘structured and organized’ heist

The thieves forced their way through the main door of the Villa dei Capolavori, located in the countryside around Parma, and took the paintings from the French Room on the first floor, media reports said.

The foundation described the group as “structured and organized,” adding that they appeared intent on stealing more before alarms were triggered and police were alerted.

The suspects escaped by climbing over a fence, regional public broadcaster TGR reported.

The broadcaster estimated the stolen works had a combined value of 9.7 million euros; Renoir’s Les Poissins alone is valued at 6 million, making it one of the most significant art thefts in Italy in recent years.

A leading figure of the Impressionist movement, Renoir painted the oil-on-canvas Les Poissons around 1917.

Cezanne’s Still Life with Cherries was completed around 1890 and is one of several cherry-themed works by the artist. The piece is notable for its use of his life, according to the foundation.

Matisse’s Odalisque on the Terrace was painted in 1922, depicting two figures, one reclining in the sun while another holds a violin.

Authorities made the heist public on Sunday, noting that Italy’s Carabinieri and the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit of Bologna are investigating the matter.