Guggenheim Sues to Reclaim Picasso Stolen in 1961

A long-missing Picasso has resurfaced, not in a dusty attic, but in a legal fight. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation has sued a Massachusetts couple in New York State court to reclaim "Femme dans un fauteuil," a 1918 Picasso that vanished in 1961 while on loan to the University of Pittsburgh, reports Hyperallergic. Lawrence Jay Handler and Wendy Cohen Handler allegedly bought the work from a Manhattan gallery in 1999; the Guggenheim says it learned of its whereabouts only in 2023, when Christie's researched the painting for a potential sale.

The museum, which repaid an insurance payout last year, argues it remains the lawful owner and is seeking the artwork's return plus $3.5 million in damages. A Guggenheim rep said it had "attempted to settle the matter with the individuals holding the work." The painting, once valued at up to $60,000, is now thought to be worth millions.