A painting discovered by a junk dealer in a Capri cellar has been identified as an original Picasso portrait, now valued at £5 million (Rs 55 crore), according to The Guardian. Luigi Lo Rosso found the painting in 1962 and brought it to his home in Pompeii, where it hung in his living room for years despite his wife’s disapproval. The artwork’s origin remained unknown until Lo Rosso’s son, Andrea, began studying art history and recognized Picasso’s signature in the top left corner.
The family consulted a team of experts, including famed art detective Maurizio Seracini. Graphologist Cinzia Altieri, a member of the Arcadia Foundation’s scientific committee, confirmed the painting’s signature and style, saying, “There is no doubt that the signature is his.” Altieri also noted the painting’s distorted features as characteristic of Picasso.
Believed to be a portrait of Dora Maar, Picasso’s muse and former lover, the painting was initially met with skepticism. Andrea, now 60, shared how his mother even wanted to throw the painting away, saying, “She found it repulsive and repeatedly urged us to get rid of it.”
Andrea’s quest for recognition faced obstacles, particularly from the Picasso Foundation in Málaga, which dismissed the claim as false. Despite this, Altieri and other experts have validated the painting’s authenticity.
The portrait is thought to have been created between 1930 and 1936, during Picasso’s visits to Capri. The artwork, currently housed in a Milan vault, is still awaiting official recognition from the Picasso Foundation.
