Picasso painting found in New Jersey back in Paris museum

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

PARIS (AP) — A $ 15 million Picasso painting is going back on display in a Paris museum after a long and unusual journey.

"La Coiffeuse" ("The Hairdresser&quot disappeared from a French storage room more than a decade ago, then turned up in a package from Belgium to New York last year. A customs label called it a $37 Christmas gift.

Its recovery is an unusual success story. A top French government minister and the U.S. ambassador are expected to attend the unveiling of the abstract painting's new home at the Pompidou Center museum on Thursday.

The investigation into who sent the package and how the painting was stolen is still underway. After the seizure, U.S. authorities said the small artwork, painted in 1911, endured minor damages and need restoring.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2201379a90e641d89b66ca6f48caf2b3/picasso-painting-found-new-jersey-back-paris-museum-0

[Sunlei]

1. Someone will get in trouble over this? Here's a pic of the painting and the museum.

[CTyankee]

2. I know there's a great art heist story here!

I love these stories. And I also love the art forgery stories. Some of them seem so unbelievable, but true.

Last year I attended a wonderful lecture at the Isabella Gardner Museum given by its security director, about the still not recovered works of art that were stolen years ago. I remember he said that so many people believe it's an evil rich man wanting the masterpieces for himself but that is never the case. He said people were influenced by the movie "The Thomas Crown Affair."

It was probably the work of some low level criminals looking to get some real money for something that can't really be fenced.

[AlbertCat]

3. of the abstract painting's

Picasso never painted and "abstract" painting. They are all representational.... even if the image is heavily manipulated.

[1monster]

4. So why are great works of great artists left in storage rooms anyway?

They should be on display for the public to see, not boxed up in storage where no on sees them.

[murielm99]

5. Are they sure it is the real thing?

Years ago, I found out that sometimes paintings can be stolen and copied. Sometimes, a very clever forgery is returned after it is "found," and the real painting is still out there, still in the hands of the thief or the people who don't mind acquiring stolen art works.

[CTyankee]

6. It's embarrassing, isn't it?

This has happened.

But the whole myth of the rich guy acquiring stolen art for his own private collection is just that, a myth. Doesn't happen.

What usually happens is that low level criminals steal it thinking it's worth lots of money and when they find they can't fence it they just leave it somewhere. It happened in a train station in Europe a few years ago, IIRC...

[Maxinedaily]

7. Very interesting story.