A New England homeowner has discovered a hidden gem in their closet.
A hidden gem has been discovered by a New England homeowner in a relative’s closet after five decades. The 16×16 inch painting which is believed to have been painted in 1919 entitled “Le Tricorne” has been attributed to Pablo Picasso.
It is believed to be a study for the stage curtain Picasso painted for a ballet of the same name that debuted that year in London, according to the New-York Historical Society. That curtain has been on display at the historical society in New York City since 2015.
After decades spent hidden away in Maine, the work of art has been sold at auction for over US$150,000. The seller gave a statement in the auctioneer’s website saying the painting was found in a closet of a home his father inherited from a female relative who studied art in Europe in the 1920s.
“This painting was discovered in a house owned by my great aunt which was passed down to her from her uncle in the late 1930s,” the statement reads. “There were several paintings kept in a closet for 50 years (including this example) which were left by her at the time of the passing of the house to my father and now to me.”
The buyer will have at least 120 days to authenticate the painting with The Claude Picasso Administration, which is managed by the artist’s son.
