Three valuable paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse have been stolen from a museum near Parma in a swift overnight burglary, police confirmed.
The theft occurred between March 22 and 23 at the Magnani Rocca Foundation, a private museum located about 20 km from the city. Intruders reportedly forced entry and carried out the heist in under three minutes before escaping through the museum’s gardens.
The stolen artworks include Fish by Renoir, Still Life with Cherries by Cézanne, and Odalisque on the Terrace by Matisse—pieces collectively valued at millions of euros.
Founded in 1977, the museum houses the collection of art historian Luigi Magnani and features works by renowned masters such as Albrecht Dürer, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Francisco Goya, and Claude Monet.
Authorities believe an organised group was behind the burglary, which was reportedly cut short by the activation of the museum’s alarm system. The foundation has not yet issued an official statement and remains closed.
The incident comes amid a series of high-profile art thefts across Europe, including a recent robbery at the Louvre Museum, where valuables worth €88 million were stolen.
Art expert Claudio Strinati noted that while the stolen paintings may not be among the most iconic works of the artists, such crimes are often linked to ransom or extortion schemes, where stolen art is used as leverage rather than sold on the open market.
