Long-Lost Picasso Painting Found by Junk Dealer Valued at $6 Million

A junk dealer found a mysterious painting in a cellar and hung it in his living room. It turns out, that it was an original Pablo Picasso artwork found in Capri.

In a report by The Guardian, a man named Luigi Lo Rosso discovered the then-mysterious painting in 1962. He took it home and made it part of his living room, much to his wife's dismay who called it 'horrible.' Over the years, no one in the family knew what the painting was about until his son looked up art history and found a signature at the top left center.

Original Lost Picasso Painting Found by Junk Dealer

Experts, like art detective Maurizio Seracini and graphologist Cinzia Aliteri, confirmed that the painting was indeed Picasso's. Now valued at $6 million, the portrait was called 'The Buste de femme,' which features Dora Maar's bust. Maar is a photographer and painter in France, who was allegedly Picasso's muse and mistress.

However, there were challenges prior to the confirmation that it is an original Picasso painting. According to NDTV, the family initially planned to dispose the painting because it was often looked down by Lo Rosso's wife. At the same time, it was also dismissed as a cheap copy before experts were able to confirm its authenticity.

In the same The Guardian report, experts have no doubt about the painting's creator because Picasso have been visiting Capri when he was still alive, some time around 1930 or 1936. Up until his death in 1976, the iconic artist also made over 14,000 artworks in his lifetime, which means there are unknown pieces that are bound to emerge.

Some experts believe there may be two versions of 'The Buste de femme,' but more answers will be revealed once it's presented in the Picasso Foundation. The Lo Rosso further stated that they have no interest in making money out of it.