A Pablo Picasso painting that was reported missing during transport to an exhibition in Spain has been recovered, according to Spanish police. The oil painting "Still Life with Guitar," valued at approximately 600,000 euros ($650,000), has been found after disappearing earlier this month during what was supposed to be a routine transfer from Madrid to Granada.
Spanish authorities announced the recovery on Friday, revealing that their initial investigation suggests the painting may never have been loaded onto the transport vehicle in the first place. "Initial investigations indicate that the painting might not have been loaded into the van," police stated in their official announcement. The authorities released photographs showing police experts examining the package containing the artwork, though they declined to specify exactly where the painting was discovered.
The 1919 masterpiece had vanished in early October while being transported from Madrid to the southern Spanish city of Granada, where it was scheduled to be displayed as part of an exhibition organized by the Caja Granada Foundation. According to the foundation, all exhibits in the show come from private collections, making the security and safe transport of these valuable works particularly crucial.
The painting's absence was only discovered when exhibition organizers began unpacking all the artworks upon their arrival in Granada. The foundation expressed hope that "Still Life with Guitar" could still be included in the exhibition, which is scheduled to run until January 11. The recovery of the painting comes as a relief to both the private collectors and the cultural institution responsible for the display.
This incident highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Picasso's works to theft due to their enormous market value. The Spanish master's paintings have been targeted by criminals repeatedly throughout the decades. One of the most notorious cases occurred in 1976, when more than 100 Picasso works were stolen from the Museum of the Papal Palace in Avignon, southern France. Fortunately, all of those stolen artworks were eventually recovered and returned.
Pablo Picasso, born in Málaga in 1881 and who died in 1973, is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. His works continue to command extraordinary prices at auction and remain highly sought after by collectors worldwide, making them frequent targets for art thieves and requiring constant vigilance from museums and galleries displaying his pieces.
