Menzel masterwork acquired by National Gallery

Matisse was here

The long tentacles of European illicit art dealing seemed to curl recently when a stolen Matisse, 'The Luxembourg Gardens', appeared briefly on the Russian auction site, Mastak, for some four hours before being speedily removed. There appears to have been a Brazilian connection: Matisse was one of four works stolen from the Chacara do Ceu Museum in Rio: Monet's 'Marine', Picasso's 'The Dance' and 'Two Balconies' by Salvador Dali; Interpol has launched an investigation.