The Judicial Police of Lisbon recently located four monumental torchieres and a silver cross that had been stolen from the high altar of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa dos Mercadores, in downtown Rio de Janeiro, more than four decades ago. The identification of the pieces was possible thanks to a detail left by the goldsmith and silversmith José de Oliveira Coutinho, one of the main artisans in Brazil between the end of the 18th century and 1822, who engraved his initials "JOC" on his hundreds of pieces. The tip that the objects were in Portugal came from an unspecified source in the article.
The pieces found are described by the administrator of the Brotherhood of Nossa Senhora da Lapa dos Mercadores, Cláudio André Castro, as majestic objects of inestimable artistic and historical value. The silver cross measures 2.10 meters in height, while the torchieres stand over one meter tall. According to Castro, this is the first time that works belonging to the church appear abroad, although dozens of other pieces remain missing.
The theft at the Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa dos Mercadores occurred more than 40 years ago, and the pieces were among the largest specimens produced by the goldsmith José de Oliveira Coutinho. The church, located in downtown Rio de Janeiro, houses a valuable collection of sacred art that has been targeted by theft over the decades.
