Art pops up in the most unexpected places (see my post about Michaelangelo’s work found behind a sofa…). 271 pieces of Pablo Picasso‘s work have now turned up in a garage on the French Rivera. They have lain there in a cardboard box for 40 years. Retired electrician 71-year-old Pierre Le Guennec sought to have them authenticated by the Picasso administration. The artist’s son Claude Picasso and 5 other heirs say that the works are stolen and have slapped a lawsuit upon Le Guennec.
The previously unseen work includes drawings, lithographs, cubist collages, a watercolour and notebooks. They are estimated to be worth between 60 -80 million dollars according to different sources. Le Guennec included photographs of 27 of the works in an email to the Picasso administration. Christine Pinault, Claude Picasso’s assistant and an employee of the Picasso Administration and the family have acknowledge authenticity but question how Le Guennec came into possession of the works. Le Guennec says that he received the works from Picasso’s wife in return for alarm systems he installed. The family say that whilst Picasso did give gifts – he usually dedicated them.
Meanwhile, the works were seized by France’s Central Office for the Fight Against Traffic in Cultural Goods October 5 and are now holding them in a vault at its Nanterre office, northwest of Paris. The couple have said theat they don’t want to sell them – just have them authenticated and clear the matter up for their children. I wonder what the outcome shall be of this interesting case?
More info and another video from here
youtube video from itnnews thanks!
Picasso photo from here and collage here
PLUS
Don’t forget the latest poetry challenge over on Bookstains!
http://bookstains.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/poetry-challenge-the-art-of-progress/
Echostains Blog 
This really will be interesting to follow. Mighty expensive alarm systems. But then, the value of the work has increased in the 40 years since the payment. Even at 10 dollars apiece, though, that would make the alarm system 3,000 dollars and that is a pretty expensive one back then. Oh my. Who knows…very interesting.
Hheh good calculation Leslie:-) I suspect this case will run and run (into millions). I wonder how they will prove that these were gifts though? This is going to be very difficult to prove I suspect. I’d just like to see them though – I don’t care who owns them – just let us have a look:-D
I heard about this in a newspaper, how incredible! It’s like these people who find priceless antiques in their lofts or at car boot sales. Why can’t I???
Fascinating post!
Me too – I never find treasure:-( Nobody ever left me anything and theres no masterpieces lurking in my attic, garage or behind the sofa:-(
In fact, I always think ‘How could you!’ when I see people selling off family heirlooms! I would make a good custodian:-)
Now if P’s wife did gift the art in return for services rendered–consider what she was thinking. Hmm gift/trade of art for alarm system. Hey, will that work with my landlord? I’d like to trade some art for rent. Why not?
Hheh now why not? its worth a go 47whitebuffalo:-) Only make sure you dedicate the work to him or he could be in trouble in the future:-)
Lol, what a situation.
I hope the electrician gets to keep them.
The picasso family are coming off a bit greedy in this one.
It wouls appear that way. I can’t ait to see the outcome of this, but I think it will probably take forever:-(
I have plenty of cardboard boxes in my basement. I bet you not one of them contains a Picasso. Damn!
Same here Carpl:-) no treasures luking here ,though I am convinced theres a secret room behind a wall in our cellar – probably wishful thinking though! I wish I could get one of those machines the Geo physic people use on Tim Team to find out 😀
That is a lot of “gift” Picassos! Like you, I would like to just see them. The electrician should have said that he was given the box and this was what was inside and he was just as surprised as anyone. The Picasso family was further torn apart trying to settle the artist’s estate after his death. Owning a Picasso, in their case, wasn’t always a good thing.
It is a LOT of gift lol Money does seem the root of all evil in this case. These litigations drag on for years. There’s a lesson in this in Dickens Bleak House – though the young ones were lucky in the end. Wonder why he didn’t make it clear who got what – saving lots of trouble and arguments?