Spanish police have recovered a Pablo Picasso painting that went missing while being transported from Madrid to Granada, raising questions about whether it was ever loaded onto the transport truck.
The artwork, Still Life with Guitar (1919), a gouache and pencil piece valued at approximately €600,000 ($700,000), belongs to a private collector in Madrid. It was scheduled for display at the CajaGranada Foundation’s new exhibition.
The painting was discovered missing on October 6, when the truck’s contents were unpacked. All items had been under video surveillance since their arrival three days earlier, the foundation said.
Police confirmed the recovery of the piece on Friday but did not reveal its location. “Initial investigations suggest that the painting may not have been loaded onto the transport truck,” a National Police statement said.
Authorities released images showing scientific experts examining the package containing the recovered artwork.
The foundation expressed hope that Still Life with Guitar will still be included in the exhibition, which opened on October 9 and runs until January 11.
Picasso’s works are frequent targets for thieves due to their high value. Two of his paintings have recently sold at auction for more than $140 million.
Historically, Picasso pieces have also been stolen in large-scale thefts; in 1976, over 100 works were taken from the Palais des Papes in Avignon, France, though all were eventually recovered.
Born in Málaga in 1881, Picasso died in 1973 and is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
