In Madrid, police officers have discovered and identified Pablo Picasso’s painting “Still Life with Guitar,” which had been considered missing since early October. The artwork was supposed to be sent from the capital to Granada for an exhibition, but for unknown reasons it was never placed in the transport vehicle. Investigators are now trying to determine at what stage the valuable piece disappeared and who may have been involved in the incident.
Created in 1919, the painting is a small work on paper, done in gouache and graphite pencil. Its dimensions are just 12.7 by 9.8 centimeters, but despite its modest size, the piece is valued at 600,000 euros. A few years ago, it was sold for 60,000 euros, but its value has increased significantly since then.
The disappearance was discovered after staff from the foundation organizing the exhibition noticed that one of the works was missing while unpacking the exhibits. In total, 57 pieces were sent from Madrid to Granada, and only during a detailed inspection was it found that one was missing. Since the packages were not properly labeled, the loss wasn’t immediately detected. Only after an official report to the police did an investigation begin, during which the artwork was entered into Interpol’s international database as missing.
After the painting was found, experts thoroughly examined both the packaging and the artwork itself to determine whether it had been damaged or forged. Representatives of the foundation responsible for the exhibition have so far refrained from commenting, as they are a party to the ongoing legal proceedings. They only confirmed that the other exhibits are being successfully displayed and expressed hope that once the investigation is complete, Picasso’s painting will return to the exhibition.
