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Spanish police have recovered a painting by Pablo Picasso that had been missing since Oct. 3, ending a three-week mystery that stirred public concern over the security of artworks in transit.
According to the Spanish National Police, the artwork — Still Life with a Guitar — went missing while being transported from Madrid to Granada for an exhibition. Investigators said the painting never made it onto the transport truck, despite being scheduled for transfer on Oct. 3.
The Historical Heritage Department of the National Police launched a probe on Oct. 10 and eventually found the piece inside a package unrelated to the shipment. Authorities stated that the investigation remains open to determine whether the disappearance was accidental or deliberate.
Painted in 1919, Still Life with Guitar is one of Picasso’s early Cubist works, reflecting his fascination with musical instruments and geometric abstraction. It had been stored with 56 other pieces on Sept. 25 under the supervision of the Caja Granada Foundation, which organized the exhibition.
When the foundation noticed the painting was missing from the shipment, it immediately contacted the police.
While the recovered artwork appears unharmed, officials are still reviewing the logistics process and how the painting ended up left behind. Police emphasized that the case highlights the delicate nature of transporting cultural heritage items and confirmed that the painting will undergo expert inspection before being reintroduced to public display.
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