Italian police have recovered three artworks valued at more than $10.4 million that were stolen in March from the Fondazione Magnani Rocca, near Parma in northern Italy. The works include Paul Cézanne's Still Life with Cherries (1890), Pierre-Auguste Renoir's Les Poissons (1917), and Henri Matisse's Odalisque on the Terrace (1922).
The Cultural Heritage Protection Unit of the Carabinieri located the paintings in an apartment in Parma. Authorities said nine Moldovan nationals are under investigation in connection with the case.
The theft took place overnight between March 22 and 23, when two intruders reportedly entered through a window and removed the works from the wall in a matter of minutes. The recovery marks an important step in protecting cultural heritage and preserving access to landmark works of modern art.
Known as the "Villa of Masterpieces," the Fondazione Magnani Rocca was created by critic Luigi Magnani in 1977 and holds a distinguished collection that reflects the depth of European art history. This recovery may strengthen future efforts to safeguard museum collections with greater precision and speed.
