Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / EUROPE
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Tuesday, 7 August 2007, 19:21 GMT 20:21 UK

Stolen Picassos found in Paris

Picture released by Picasso's family showing Pablo Picasso's Maya with Doll Police have found two paintings and a drawing by Pablo Picasso stolen from his granddaughter's apartment in Paris in February.

The works, with a combined value of 50m euros (£33.7m), included a portrait of his daughter, Maya with Doll, and one of his second wife, Jacqueline Roque.

They were all recovered "apparently in good condition", said the lawyer of Diana Widmaier-Picasso.

Three people were arrested in Paris and are awaiting charges over the theft.

The three works were taken from the apartment of Ms Widmaier-Picasso, in the chic seventh arrondissement of Paris, as she slept on 26 February.

The stolen drawing was called "Marie-Therese at age 21".

The three pieces were considered too famous to be sold on the open market.

"The works are apparently in good condition," said lawyer Olivier Baratelli.

Regular target

Maya Picasso was Pablo Picasso's second child, born in 1935 to Marie-Therese Walter, one of his many lovers.

Picasso completed the portrait of Maya, who is Ms Widmaier-Picasso's mother, in 1938.

The works of the iconic Spanish painter are among the world's most valuable - and are frequently targeted by thieves.

In 1989 thieves raided the home of another of Picasso's granddaughters, Marina Picasso.

They took 12 paintings worth $17m (£8.7m) at the time. All were later recovered.

In the largest theft of Picasso works, thieves stole 118 pieces from a museum in the southern French city of Avignon in 1976.

His 1905 masterpiece Boy with a Pipe is still the most expensive painting sold at auction. It went for $104.2m (£53.2m) in 2004.

Picasso died in France in 1973, aged 91.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Picasso paintings stolen in Paris (28 Feb 07 |  Europe )
Disputed Picasso auction halted (09 Nov 06 |  Entertainment )
Picasso portrait goes on display (15 Sep 06 |  Entertainment )
The art gems that broke the bank (19 Jun 06 |  Entertainment )
Picasso's grandson turns biographer (31 Oct 04 |  Entertainment )
Restless genius: Pablo Picasso (06 May 04 |  Entertainment )
Migraine theory on Picasso paintings (04 Sep 00 |  Europe )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Pablo Picasso website
Picasso Museum, Paris
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©