Italian resident Andrea Lo Rosso recently made a remarkable discovery related to a painting that his father, Luigi Lo Rosso, found 62 years ago in a basement on the island of Capri, Italy. What many assumed was merely an unusual piece of art has been identified as an authentic work by Pablo Picasso, with an estimated value of around €6 million (approximately $6.67 million).
In an interview with The Guardian, Andrea recounted how Luigi stumbled upon the rolled-up painting in a cellar back in 1962. He brought it home to Pompeii, where it adorned the family’s living room for over six decades. During this time, Luigi’s wife often expressed her strong dislike for the painting, labeling it as “creepy” and even contemplating tossing it out. “My mother always said it was a terrible painting,” Andrea reflected.
The turning point came when Andrea began exploring an art history encyclopedia that his aunt had gifted him. He noticed a signature in the upper left corner—“Picasso.” Intrigued, he sought out an art authentication team, which took several months to confirm its authenticity and determine its current market value at €6 million. Andrea remarked, “My father used to collect discarded items for resale. He found the painting before I was born, but he had no idea who Picasso was. He wasn’t very well-educated.”
Before this revelation, Andrea had approached the Picasso Foundation for validation, but they dismissed his claims, believing the painting to be a forgery. As of now, it is safely housed in a vault in Milan. “My family and I are primarily focused on uncovering the truth,” Andrea emphasized, adding that they have little interest in the potential financial windfall from this discovery.
The Picasso piece features a cubist style that presents a distorted rendition, which may appear strange to those unfamiliar with the genre, leading some to describe it as “frightening.”
Pablo Picasso passed away in 1973, while Luigi found this artwork during the artist’s lifetime. Luca Marcante, Chairman of the Arcadia Foundation, suggested that this newly authenticated piece may have two original versions, depicting the same subject painted by Picasso at different times.
