Although such stories are hard to believe, they are not impossible. In 1962, Luigi Lo Rosso, an antique dealer, decided to clear out the basement of a house in Capri. At some point, he stumbled upon an old canvas. When he unrolled it, he discovered a highly unusual painting that captivated him with its uniqueness. Luigi took the piece home, and thus, a famous Picasso hung on the wall, "admired" by people who had no idea what it really was.
Pablo Picasso on the Wall of a House in Capri. They Didn't Know the Painting Was Worth a Fortune
Although Luigi dealt with selling antiques, he was unaware of the value of this particular find. He placed the canvas in an ordinary frame and hung it in the living room. His wife wasn’t pleased, considering the painting to be a "horror" and repeatedly urged her husband to take it down. Luigi refused, and thanks to that, we now know that it was not just any painting.
The artwork actually depicted a distorted image of Dora Maar, a French painter and photographer who had been significant to Picasso. Although Lo Rosso was unfamiliar with Picasso’s work, his son Andrea became intrigued after receiving a book on art history for his birthday. After reading it, he suspected that the painting hanging in their living room might be an authentic masterpiece. The family then sought help from renowned art researcher Maurizio Seracini.
A Picasso Painting More Valuable Than Their Home: For Years They Thought It Was Just Doodles
The painting underwent detailed examinations and numerous analyses. After years of study, the Lo Rosso family finally received confirmation that the piece was a genuine work worth a fortune. A graphologist and a member of the scientific committee of the Arcadia Foundation confirmed that the painting was indeed created by Pablo Picasso himself.
I have no doubt that the signature is genuine. No evidence suggesting forgery was found
- said Altieri in an interview with The Guardian. The artist likely painted the piece between 1930 and 1936, during his stay on the island of Capri in southern Italy. Ultimately, the painting was valued at around 6 million euros, approximately 26 million złoty. After his father’s death, Andrea Lo Rosso tried to contact the Picasso Foundation in Malaga to officially confirm its authenticity but has yet to receive a response. Currently, the painting is stored in a vault in Milan.
