An alleged painting attributed to the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso It was found in a villa in Capri, southern Italy, after remaining hanging for 50 years in the living room of an art dealer who was unaware of the possible “treasure” he had in his hands.
The information was released last Monday (30) by the Italian newspaper “Il Giorno”, after a complex graphological examination considered the work of the genius from Malaga.
The painting, titled “Buste de Femme Dora Maar,” created in homage to Picasso’s longtime muse, was found by a junk shop owner on the island in the Gulf of Naples in the 1960s and has remained in the family’s possession ever since.
At the time, the painting depicting the asymmetrical and angular face of a woman, signed “Picasso” in the upper left corner, was rolled up in a basement where he was cleaning. Upon finding it, the Italian took the painting to his home and hung it in the living room, where it remained for 50 years.
Recently, however, the old man's son noticed some details on the canvas and began to suspect its authenticity. "The portrait of Dora Maar is autographed and can be attributed to the hand of the master, although there is no evidence to prove its apocryphal nature," the Milanese newspaper stated.
During chemical analyses, comparisons with other works and historical research, experts hypothesized that it could actually be a portrait of the muse to whom Picasso dedicated more than one painting, created between 1940 and 1950.
“It is possible that both paintings are originals, probably two portraits of the same subject made at different times by Picasso. I am certain that the painting found in Capri is authentic,” said forensic graphologist Cinzia Altieri.
The honorary president of the Arcadia Foundation, Luca Gentile Canal Mercante, was also one of the protagonists of the research, together with the expert in scientific analysis of works of art, Maurizio Seracini. After the study, the painting, which could be valued between 10 and 12 million euros, was stored in a safe in Milan. (HANDLE)
