Pablo Picasso's work "Still Life with Guitar," dated 1921, disappeared during transport from Madrid to Granada, where it was supposed to be exhibited at the CajaGranada Foundation. The police are investigating whether it was an accidental loss or a planned theft.
The painting "Still Life with Guitar," created by Pablo Picasso in 1921 using gouache, was supposed to be part of the exhibition "Still Life. La eternidad de lo inerte" at the CajaGranada Foundation, which opened on October 8. However, the small work measuring 12.7 by 9.8 centimeters never reached its destination.
The investigation was taken up by the National Police's heritage team following a complaint filed by the foundation on October 10. According to the police, the painting, which is privately owned, has not been found, and no arrests have been made at this time.
Versions The painting was delivered by a company specializing in the transportation of artworks from a private home on Pio XII Avenue in Madrid. On September 25, it was locked in a warehouse along with other paintings from the exhibition, awaiting joint transportation to Granada.
The journey began on October 2, and the works arrived at the Cultural Center of Granada on October 3 at 10:00 AM. During the journey, the paintings spent the night in Deifontes - this is a key moment in the investigation, as the police are trying to determine whether there was a supposed loss or theft.
When the van arrived at the foundation's premises, all works were continuously moved from the vehicle to the exhibition hall under video surveillance. However, a serious issue arose: the packaging was not properly numbered, which prevented a thorough check from being conducted immediately.
The exhibition manager and staff from the transport company agreed to sign the waybills before the complete unpacking, which was scheduled for Monday, October 6. It was only then, when all packages were opened and the works distributed, that curator Maria Toral and the exhibition manager discovered the absence of the Picasso work.
The foundation confirmed that there are no traces of the incident with the paintings on the surveillance camera footage recorded over the weekend. The police are currently investigating whether the disappearance was caused by an error in the logistics process or if it was a planned theft of the artwork.
The exhibition, featuring 58 works from private collections by artists such as Juan Gris, René Magritte, and Rafael Sabaleta, will be open until January 11.
