A Landlord Found a Peculiar Print Hanging in a Vacant Apartment. It Turned Out to Be an Original Picasso That Had Been Missing for Eight Years

After his tenant vacated his Milwaukee apartment, Timothy Dertz discovered a peculiar piece of art hanging on the wall in a back bedroom. The artwork was a print of a bullfighter, covered in a thick layer of dust on its frame. Dertz, noticing its unusual placement, informed WISN-TV's Stephen Cohn that the print had likely been there for some time.

An antique dealer examined the print and found a signature in green crayon: "Picasso." Further investigation revealed that the artwork was a 1949 Pablo Picasso etching called Torero, which had gone missing from Milwaukee's DeLind Fine Art Appraisals in 2018. Valued at $35,000 to $50,000 at the time of its disappearance, Dertz turned the artwork over to the Milwaukee Police Department on August 5.

Officers contacted Bill DeLind, the co-owner of the gallery, who confirmed the authenticity of the etching. DeLind expressed disbelief that the artwork had reappeared in perfect condition after being missing for eight years. The incident, which occurred more than eight years ago, is still under investigation by the police. The gallery, a small operation with no security cameras at the time of the theft, experienced the theft on February 16, 2018.

Both DeLind and his partner, Michael Goforth, noticed the artwork was missing around the same time, leading to a $5,000 reward for its return. As no leads emerged, the reward was increased to $7,500 and then $10,000. The gallery owners continued to check in with the police and local media outlets annually, hoping to bring the case back to the forefront.

Robert Wittman, the founder of the FBI's art crime team, reassured the owners that stolen artworks often resurface and advised them to "sit tight." In a statement, the Milwaukee Police Department commended Dertz for recognizing the artwork and taking the right action. DeLind expressed hope that the gallery might display Torero in the future, allowing visitors to see the artwork in its original location once again.