Thieves recently stole valuable paintings by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse, collectively worth millions of euros, from a museum located near Parma in northern Italy, according to police reports on Monday. The burglary occurred on the night of March 22-23 when the culprits forcibly entered through the museum’s entrance.
The three stolen artworks are renowned pieces: “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 situated 20 kilometers from Parma, was the target of this daring heist.
Local sources revealed that the thieves swiftly seized the paintings in under three minutes before fleeing through the museum’s gardens. The foundation, established in 1977, boasts a collection curated by art historian Luigi Magnani, featuring works by Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, and Monet.
Reports suggest that the theft was likely orchestrated by an organized group and was cut short by an alarm activation. The museum has not issued any official statements regarding the incident and was unreachable for comments, as it remained closed on Monday.
This incident in Parma echoes a trend of high-profile museum thefts in Europe, such as the recent 88 million euro heist at the Louvre in Paris. Art expert Claudio Strinati noted that the stolen paintings, while significant, are considered minor works by the respective artists within the broader context of the foundation’s collection. He also speculated that the theft might lead to a ransom demand, as art thefts are sometimes carried out for extortion purposes.