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Spanish authorities are investigating the baffling disappearance of Pablo Picasso's 1919 painting Still Life with Guitar, which vanished en route to a major exhibition in Granada. The tiny gouache artwork, measuring only 12.7 by 9.8 centimeters, was insured for an impressive 600,000 euros ($700,000) and was expected to headline a temporary show at the CajaGranada Cultural Center.
According to the foundation overseeing the exhibition, the painting was part of a delivery from Madrid that arrived on schedule. Every piece was carefully transferred under constant video surveillance, with no sign of interference or suspicious activity. The art handlers transported the sealed packages from the delivery van to a freight elevator, where they were later moved into the exhibition room, all captured on camera.
When unpacking began on Monday morning, the staff were shocked to discover that Picasso's work, known in Spanish as Naturaleza muerta con guitarra, was missing. The cultural center immediately alerted police, who confirmed that the painting has since been added to the international database of stolen artworks. So far, the footage reveals no irregularities, making this disappearance one of the most puzzling art mysteries in recent years.
Picasso's paintings have long been favorites among art thieves, with some fetching staggering prices at auctions. In 2019, a Dutch art detective recovered Portrait of Dora Maar, valued at $28 million, two decades after it was stolen from a Saudi sheikh's yacht. Similarly, Picasso's Head of a Woman was retrieved by Greek police in 2021, nearly ten years after a daring heist at the National Gallery in Athens.
For now, the whereabouts of Still Life with Guitar remain unknown. Investigators are working to determine whether the theft occurred before, during, or after transit. The case adds yet another chapter to the long history of intrigue surrounding Picasso's priceless works, proof that even the smallest masterpiece can spark the biggest mystery.
