Stolen Portinari painting recovered in Brazil

[August 02, 2010]  SAO PAULO (AP) -- Police have recovered a painting by one of Brazil's most famous painters two weeks after it was stolen from a museum.

Authorities say Candido Portinari's "O Enterro," or "The Burial," was found with a suspect in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

It was taken from the Contemporary Art Museum in the northeastern city of Olinda earlier this month.

Police said in a statement they arrested a man who was in possession of the 1959 painting, which is worth about 1.5 million reals ($850,000).

The statement did not give details of the investigation, but Brazilian media reported that fingerprints at the crime scene helped police track down the suspect.

It is one of seven Portinari artworks at the museum.

[Associated Press]

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