Eight artworks by the French artist Henri Matisse were stolen from a library in São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday, according to the museum that commissioned the exhibition.
The prints were from Matisse's "Jazz" series and were stolen from the Mário de Andrade Library, the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo said in a statement. The museum did not say which pieces were stolen or disclose their estimated value.
The museum said that the pieces were part of an exhibition that ran in partnership between the museum and the library, titled "From Book to Museum: MAM São Paulo and the Mário de Andrade Library."
Five works by the Brazilian artist Candido Portinari from the "Menino de Engenho" series were also stolen, according to the museum.
A suspect in the theft was arrested on Monday, São Paulo Civil Police said in a statement. The authorities said they tracked down the man, whom they did not identify, using security camera footage and facial recognition technology.
Police said a "second suspect is still being sought by police authorities."
"The pair broke into the location, known for being the largest library in the country, overpowered a security guard and an elderly couple, and placed documents and eight paintings in a canvas bag," the police said. "They then fled through the main exit."
Authorities did not say whether they knew the whereabouts or condition of the stolen artworks.
São Paulo's Municipal Secretariat of Culture and Creative Economy said in a statement that the stolen pieces "have cultural, historical, and artistic value and cannot be assessed solely in economic terms."
It added that the library "has a security team and camera monitoring system, whose footage has been forwarded to the competent authorities conducting the investigations" and that it has resumed operations.
Matisse, who lived from 1869 to 1954, is considered one of the most prolific painters of the 20th century, known for his once-revelatory use of bright colors.
The robbery of the Matisse artworks comes weeks after a heist at the Louvre in Paris stunned the world. On Oct. 19, four thieves broke into the world-renowned museum in broad daylight and stole jewels once worn by France’s royalty.
A total of eight people have been arrested and charged in connection with the case. The jewels, thought to be worth an estimated $102 million, have not been recovered.
