Mafia III Vargas Paintings: All 33 Locations
Track down all 33 Vargas Paintings in Mafia III with district-by-district locations, tips for the missable casino art, and 100% completion advice.
If you're chasing 100% completion in New Bordeaux, the Mafia III Vargas paintings are one of the trickiest collectible sets to finish — not because they're hard to find, but because two of them sit inside a location many players never revisit. These 33 framed pin-up artworks are scattered across every district in the game, and missing even one locks you out of full collection progress.
Related Mafia III guides you may find useful:
- Mafia III Cassandra Guide — Districts, Perks & Endings
- Mafia 3 Main Quests: Full Story Mission List
- Mafia 3 Districts Map Guide — All 9 Districts & Bosses This guide breaks down every Vargas painting location by district, explains who Alberto Vargas actually was, and covers the community-reported headaches around the two casino paintings that trip up so many players.
What Are the Vargas Paintings in Mafia III?
The Vargas Paintings are a set of 33 framed collectibles hidden throughout New Bordeaux. Each one is a reproduction of artwork by Alberto Vargas, the Peruvian painter famous for his pin-up illustrations. Picking them up contributes to your overall collectibles completion percentage, which feeds into achievement and trophy progress.
Unlike some collectible types that only spawn after certain story triggers, the wiki notes that Vargas paintings are available from the start of the game — with the notable exception of the two located in the North Lake casino area. That exception is exactly where most players get stuck, and we'll get into that below.
Who Was Alberto Vargas?
Understanding the art adds some flavor to the hunt. Alberto Vargas was a Peruvian painter who became one of the most celebrated pin-up artists of the 20th century.
| Era | Work | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1940–1946 | Esquire magazine | Produced 180 paintings known as "Varga Girls" |
| 1960 onward | Playboy magazine | Commissioned by Hugh Hefner; created 150+ monthly pinups over two decades |
| Present day | Auction market | Original Vargas paintings regularly sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars |
His World War II-era pin-ups for Esquire became iconic among servicemen, and his later Playboy work cemented his legacy. In Mafia III's 1968 setting, his art fits the era perfectly — which is part of why the collectible set feels thematic rather than random.
All 33 Vargas Painting Locations by District
Below is the complete district-by-district breakdown. The painting numbers follow the in-game collectible tracking, so you can cross-reference what you're missing.
Barclay Mills
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #2 | Upper office of Barclay Railways |
| #10 | Inside the portable building at the center of Chitimacha Hill Quarry |
Delray Hollow
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #5 | Basement of Sammy's Bar |
| #13 | Behind the reception desk at Perla's Nightclub |
| #27 | Upstairs office at Perla's Nightclub |
Downtown
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #7 | Upper level of the Cavar Construction Site |
| #8 | Office of the Imperial Men's Health Club |
French Ward
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #3 | Office of Un Belle Jardin |
| #14 | Main bar area at Big Mouth Jazz Club |
| #25 | Office at Big Mouth Jazz Club |
| #32 | Behind the bar at Un Belle Jardin |
Frisco Fields
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #19 | Office of Bellaire's Supermarket |
| #29 | Office of Duvall Hall Science Center |
Pointe Verdun
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #11 | Burke's bedroom in the main building of Burke's Iron & Metal |
| #12 | Office of Roberdeau Meat Packing |
| #31 | Building at the south end of Burke's Iron & Metal (listed as a poster in some references) |
River Row
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #4 | Vito's office at Benny's Ristorante |
| #6 | Upper office of Rigolet's Canning Company |
| #33 | Inside Benny's Ristorante, behind the reception counter |
Southdowns
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #9 | Office of Mama Righetti's Bakery |
| #21 | Inside the Waterfront Casino on the northwest shoreline |
Tickfaw Harbor
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #1 | Office of Holland Bros. Shipping & Freight |
| #16 | Office wall of the Best Oil Racket |
North Lake
| Painting # | Location |
|---|---|
| #26 | Security office of the Paradiso Hotel & Casino |
| #18 | On the bar below the room where you confront Giorgi Marcano |
The Two Missable Casino Paintings (North Lake)
This is the part of the Mafia III Vargas collection that generates the most forum threads. Paintings #26 and #18 are both inside the Paradiso Hotel & Casino in North Lake, which you visit during a late-game story mission.
The good news, according to community reports on Steam discussions: none of the collectibles are permanently locked out. One player confirmed that driving to the northernmost point of the map takes you right back to the casino area, where you can re-enter and grab anything you missed. Another player noted you can still retrieve the painting beneath the cabinet in the bar area even after finishing the final mission.
That said, there's conflicting player experience worth flagging. One user reported that after completing the game, the door to Giorgi Marcano's office was locked, leaving them stuck at 97%. Others replied that the painting in question is actually located under the cabinet in the bar rather than inside the locked office itself — meaning it remains accessible if you know where to look.
Practical takeaway: if you're in the casino during the story mission, grab both paintings on the spot. Don't assume you'll come back easily, even though returning is technically possible.
Tips for Completing the Vargas Collection
A few habits make this collection far less painful:
- Sweep each district after taking it over. Once you control a district, you can explore freely without mission pressure. Offices, bars, and businesses are the most common hiding spots.
- Check upper floors and back rooms. Many paintings sit in offices above the main floor — Barclay Railways, Rigolet's Canning Company, and Perla's Nightclub all follow this pattern.
- Look behind counters and bars. Several paintings (#32, #33, #13) are tucked behind service areas where you might not think to check.
- Prioritize North Lake during the story. The two casino paintings are the ones players most often miss.
- Track your percentage. If you're sitting at 94% with two missing, the casino is almost certainly your gap — that's the exact scenario described in the Steam thread.
Common Pain Points Players Report
| Issue | Community Report |
|---|---|
| Missing two paintings near the end | Traced to the North Lake casino location |
| Locked office after final mission | Some players report the door locks; others say the painting is under the bar cabinet |
| No mission replay option | Multiple players wished for a quicksave or mission replay feature |
| Return trip confusion | Driving to the northernmost map point returns you to the casino area |
How Vargas Paintings Fit Into 100% Completion
The Vargas set is one of several collectible categories in Mafia III, alongside album covers, Playboy magazines, and other district-specific items. For trophy and achievement hunters, clearing every category matters — and the Vargas paintings are among the more spread-out sets, touching ten districts.
If you're serious about full completion, treat collectibles as a district-by-district checklist rather than a single endgame grind. It's far easier to grab three paintings in Delray Hollow while you're already there than to make a dedicated tour of the entire map later.
For official game information and updates, check the Mafia III page on Steam, which hosts the Definitive Edition and community discussions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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