An engraving by Pablo Picasso that was stolen from an art gallery in Milwaukee in 2018 was accidentally found while cleaning an empty apartment. Associated Press reports this, writes UNN.
Details
Landlord Tim Dertz discovered the work on the wall of an apartment from which a tenant had been evicted. According to him, the engraving was covered in a thick layer of dust. The man showed it to an antiques dealer friend, who recognized the Picasso work and suggested that it was the stolen engraving.
Police confirmed the authenticity of the find and contacted the gallery's former owner, Bill Delind. He immediately recognized the work, "The Toreador" — one of 30 known engravings by Picasso bearing his signature. A sticker indicating its appraised value, which had been there in 2018, was still on the back of the frame.
At the time of the theft, the engraving was valued at $35,000–$50,000. Its value may now be approaching $50,000, although a final appraisal has not yet been conducted.
The work remains with Milwaukee police until the matter of its return and the insurance compensation is resolved. The theft investigation is ongoing.