Spanish authorities have recovered a 1919 Pablo Picasso painting that went missing earlier this month ahead of its scheduled display at a temporary exhibition in Granada.
The artwork, Still Life with Guitar, was part of a larger shipment of artworks transported from Madrid. Organizers filed a police complaint on October 10 after noticing the painting was missing when the crates were unpacked.
Spanish police suggested the painting may never have been loaded onto the transport truck in Madrid, although the investigation by the historical heritage brigade is ongoing. It remains unclear whether the disappearance involved criminal activity.
Forensic experts were pictured examining the painting in full sterile suits and masks. The privately owned painting had been registered in Interpol’s Stolen Works of Art database, which contains nearly 57,000 items.
As reported in Reuters, CajaGranada Foundation, hosting the exhibition, noted that security camera footage showed only 57 works being unloaded from the vehicle instead of the 58 expected, highlighting how the artwork went missing in transit.
The recovery brings relief to organizers and collectors, though Spanish authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the painting’s disappearance.
