Stolen 1933 Picasso painting found abandoned in Brazil

Brazil News.Net
Tuesday 19th August, 2008

A stolen 1933 painting by the legendary Spanish painter Pablo Picasso was found abandoned by the Brazilian police here, Spain's EFE news agency reported Tuesday.

The painting, one of the four artworks that were stolen from the municipal art gallery here in June, was found abandoned next to a highway in the main city of Sao Paulo state last Friday, the report said.

The discovery was announced Monday only after the confirmation of the painting by experts, an official said.

Experts confirmed that the painting titled 'Minotaur, Fountain and Women', was the original artwork of Pablo Picasso, the report quoted a spokesperson of the state's public safety office as saying.

Two other paintings: 'Women at a Window' (1926) by Brazilian painter Di Cavalcanti (1897-1967) and 'Couple' (1919) by Lithuanian-Brazilian artist Lasar Segall (1891-1957) were retrieved by the authorities Aug 7.

The third, 'The Painter and his Model' (1963) by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was retrieved July 18.

The stolen artworks were valued at 1 million reais ($625,000).

The police said they have arrested the last of the three accomplices involved in the case after the abandoned painting was found Friday night. His two other partners have already been arrested.

Their identities were exposed after the security cameras in the gallery captured their images.

Have your say on this story