A rare Pablo Picasso artwork stolen from a Milwaukee gallery in 2018 has resurfaced after more than eight years, ending a mystery that once appeared impossible to solve.
The 1949 print, titled “Torero,” or “Bullfighter,” disappeared from DeLind Fine Art Appraisals in downtown Milwaukee on February 16, 2018. At the time, experts valued it between $35,000 and $50,000.
Milwaukee police said a community member brought the artwork to a police station on Wednesday after recognizing the long-missing Picasso.
Police have not identified the person who returned it. They also continue to investigate what happened during the eight years it remained missing.
How the stolen Picasso was finally found
Art dealer William DeLind told The Washington Post that police brought the print to his appraisal office for authentication.
According to DeLind, a landlord recovered the Picasso after a tenant moved out and left the artwork behind. The landlord apparently remembered seeing the print in news reports after its 2018 disappearance.
The artwork had reportedly spent years hanging inside a home on Milwaukee’s south side. Someone examined it more closely, searched for information about the piece and realized it could be the stolen Picasso.
A gallery identification sticker remained attached to the back, helping DeLind quickly confirm its identity.
“I never expected to see it again,” DeLind told The Washington Post.
Despite eight years away, the print remained in remarkably good condition. Its frame and protective glass were also intact.
What makes Picasso’s ‘Torero’ so rare?
Picasso created “Torero” in Paris in 1949 using a sugar-lift aquatint process. The technique allows artists to create rich tonal effects through an acid-based printmaking method.
The print depicts a bullfighter, a subject that appeared repeatedly in Picasso’s work. Only 30 copies of the print were produced, making the stolen piece particularly rare.
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The recovered example carries Picasso’s bold green signature. Contemporary reports said it was number nine in the edition of 30.
When the artwork vanished, it hung in the lobby of DeLind Fine Art Appraisals. It had no visible price or artist label.
DeLind said in 2018: “Somebody either knew what they were doing or just got lucky.”
Investigators struggled because the building had no surveillance cameras covering the theft. The FBI later joined Milwaukee police in the search.
Reward offered as eight-year mystery continued
The gallery initially offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the Picasso’s safe return. Authorities later increased the reward to $7,500 as the search continued.
The artwork’s ownership has also changed. An insurance company paid the original theft claim and now owns the recovered Picasso.
Police thanked the person who recognized the artwork and returned it, but said the investigation remains active.
For DeLind, the recovery brings an extraordinary end to an eight-year mystery. The case also offers a rare example of valuable stolen art returning through recognition rather than an arrest or undercover operation.
