Picasso Masterpiece Mysteriously Disappears in Spain
(MENAFN) Spanish authorities have launched an investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a small Pablo Picasso artwork that went missing while being transferred from Madrid to Granada. According to local media reports, the painting vanished en route, raising questions about transport procedures and security.
The artwork, a gouache and pencil composition titled "Naturaleza muerta con guitarra" (Still Life with Guitar), holds an estimated value of €600,000 ($640,000).
Created in 1919, the miniature piece measures only 12.7cm by 9.8cm and was scheduled to be part of an exhibition hosted by the CajaGranada Foundation. Despite careful planning, the painting never reached its destination.
The missing piece belonged to a private Madrid-based collector and was among a batch of artworks sent by van on Friday, October 3.
During the unloading process, some packages reportedly lacked identification numbers, which hindered proper tracking. By the following Monday, the exhibits—kept under video surveillance—were being unwrapped.
“Once the unpacking had been done by the CajaGranada foundation’s own staff, the works were moved to different parts of the exhibition room,” the foundation explained.
“Mid-morning that day, the exhibition’s curator and the foundation’s head of exhibitions noticed that one work was missing.”
Authorities were immediately alerted by the foundation. As reported by Spanish media, there is speculation that the transport van may have paused overnight close to Granada. Two people were reportedly aboard the vehicle, possibly taking shifts to monitor the high-value cargo.
Pablo Picasso, born in Malaga, Spain, in 1881, is no stranger to theft cases involving his creations, which are highly prized by collectors and criminals alike.
One of the most significant thefts happened in February 2007, when two paintings valued at roughly $54 million were stolen from his granddaughter’s residence.
An earlier heist in 1976 ranks among France’s most notorious art thefts, with 118 of Picasso’s pieces stolen from a museum in Avignon.
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