Art Break

By Gary Duffy BBC News, Sao Paulo

The retrieved pictures were under close guard as they went on show

Two suspects were put under arrest over the theft of the works, by Pablo Picasso and the Brazilian artist Candido Portinari.

The pictures were found undamaged leaning against a wall in a house on the outskirts of Sao Paulo.

Officials at the Museum of Art will be greatly relieved by their recovery.

The theft of the paintings was a major embarrassment for the museum.

Shortly after they were stolen it emerged that the two paintings, along with some 8,000 other works of art in the gallery, were not insured.

Although there had been fears that the paintings had already been smuggled abroad they were in fact recovered in a district in the eastern part of the Sao Paulo metropolitan area, and two suspects were arrested.

The two paintings are said to be worth at least $55m (£28m; 37m euros).

Police were led to the house where the discovery was made by a suspect who had been arrested. The paintings were found covered in plastic, leaning against a wall.

'Never again'

The Sao Paulo Museum of Art has been closed since the theft, and an increased police presence has been maintained around the building ever since.

A simple hydraulic jack was used to prise open the museum entrance

The three thieves used only a crow bar and a hydraulic car jack to break into the museum and stole the paintings in a matter of minutes.

The recovered works of art have been examined by officials to confirm their authenticity and are said be in perfect condition.

Both paintings were closely guarded as they were displayed at a police news conference.

They will be returned to the museum in time for its reopening on Friday.