A “horrible” painting found by a junk dealer turned out to be an original portrait by Pablo Picasso worth $6 Million, according to Italian experts. The painting was discovered in the cellar of the house in Capri during cleaning.

The painting was found by Luigi Lo Rosso in 1962, who took the canvas to his home in Pompeii. The art piece remained hung in a cheap frame in their living room for decades and was regularly denounced as “horrible” by his wife.

Although the painting had the signature of the famous artist, Lo Rosso did not know him. The suspicions only rose after his son Andrea started asking questions after studying an art history encyclopedia.

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“My father was from Capri and would collect junk to sell for next to nothing,” Andrea told The Guardian. “He found the painting before I was even born and didn’t have a clue who Picasso was. He wasn’t a very cultured person. I kept telling my father it was similar, but he didn’t understand. But as I grew up, I kept wondering.”

“My mother didn’t want to keep it – she kept saying it was horrible,” he said, adding that there were times when the family decided to throw away the painting. Andrea revealed while his father had died, his quest to know the artist remained.

The family then contacted a team of experts from the Arcadia Foundation. The signature on the artwork was studied by Dr. Cinzia Altieri, a trained graphologist, while a chemical-scientific analysis was led by Maurizio Seracini.

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<h2>The portrait of Dora Maar</h2>

According to the experts, the portrait is identified to be of Dora Maar, the French Surrealist photographer, painter, and poet, and has been attributed to Picasso. Maar is believed to be the mistress of the artist, who met her during a trip to Capri between 1930 and 1936. The pair had a nearly nine-year-long relationship.&nbsp;

While Maar was herself an artist, her works have only recently gained recognition. In 2019, over 250 of her works were showcased at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and Tate Modern in London.

If the attribution is confirmed, the portrait could be valued at $6.5 million (€6 million). However, the painting has not been legitimised by official Picasso authenticators. According to Artnet, a portrait of Maar by Picasso was auctioned for $95.2 million in 2006 at Sotheby’s New York.

(With inputs from agencies)

A “horrible” painting found by a junk dealer turned out to be an original portrait by Pablo Picasso worth $6 Million, according to Italian experts. The painting was discovered in the cellar of the house in Capri during cleaning.

A “horrible” painting found by a junk dealer turned out to be an original portrait by Pablo Picasso worth $6 Million, according to Italian experts. The painting was discovered in the cellar of the house in Capri during cleaning. The painting was found by Luigi Lo Rosso in 1962, who took the canvas to his home in Pompeii. The art piece remained hung in a cheap frame in their living room for decades and was regularly denounced as “horrible” by his wife. Although the painting had the signature of the famous artist, Lo Rosso did not know him. The suspicions only rose after his son Andrea started asking questions after studying an art history encyclopedia. Also read | This 80-year-old model competed in Miss Universe Korea, missed it by a sliver “My father was from Capri and would collect junk to sell for next to nothing,” Andrea told The Guardian. “He found the painting before I was even born and didn’t have a clue who Picasso was. He wasn’t a very cultured person. I kept telling my father it was similar, but he didn’t understand. But as I grew up, I kept wondering.” “My mother didn’t want to keep it – she kept saying it was horrible,” he said, adding that there were times when the family decided to throw away the painting. Andrea revealed while his father had died, his quest to know the artist remained. The family then contacted a team of experts from the Arcadia Foundation. The signature on the artwork was studied by Dr. Cinzia Altieri, a trained graphologist, while a chemical-scientific analysis was led by Maurizio Seracini. Also read | Father walks nearly 30 miles amid Hurricane Helene to attend daughter’s wedding The portrait of Dora Maar According to the experts, the portrait is identified to be of Dora Maar, the French Surrealist photographer, painter, and poet, and has been attributed to Picasso. Maar is believed to be the mistress of the artist, who met her during a trip to Capri between 1930 and 1936. The pair had a nearly nine-year-long relationship. While Maar was herself an artist, her works have only recently gained recognition. In 2019, over 250 of her works were showcased at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and Tate Modern in London. If the attribution is confirmed, the portrait could be valued at $6.5 million (€6 million). However, the painting has not been legitimised by official Picasso authenticators. According to Artnet, a portrait of Maar by Picasso was auctioned for $95.2 million in 2006 at Sotheby’s New York. (With inputs from agencies)

Painting found by junk dealer turns out to be Picasso’s original portrait worth $6.5 million

Seminal pop art painting "The Splash" by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/david-hockney-pool-painting-soars-to-90-million-record-for-living-artist-177653">David Hockney</a> sold for £23.1 million at an auction in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/replica-of-da-vincis-mona-lisa-sells-for-553000-euros-263386">Sotheby's </a>London on Tuesday.

This is the third-highest price paid for a work by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/david-hockney-pool-painting-soars-to-90-million-record-for-living-artist-177653">British artist</a>.&nbsp;

"The Splash" is one the most famous paintings painted by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/david-hockney-pool-painting-soars-to-90-million-record-for-living-artist-177653">Hockney </a>which in 1966.

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It had been estimated to sell between £20m to £30m but it ended up fetching £23,117,000.

The painting in Hockney's minimalist style, depicts the moment just after a diver has broken the surface of a swimming pool, capturing the fantasy Californian lifestyle.

It is considered one of the stand-out pop art images of the 20th Century and is one of a trio of works alongside A Little Splash and A Bigger Splash.

Watch: Replica of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa sells for 553,000 euros

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/replica-of-da-vincis-mona-lisa-sells-for-553000-euros-263386/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to Emma Baker, head of the contemporary art sale at London's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/replica-of-da-vincis-mona-lisa-sells-for-553000-euros-263386">Sotheby's </a>auction house "Not only is this a landmark work within David Hockney's oeuvre, it's an icon of Pop that defined an era and also gave visual identity to LA".

Sotheby's also called the work "a quintessential example of Hockney's lifelong fascination with the texture, appearance and depth of water".

The price, bid by an unknown buyer, is nearly eight times that achieved when the work last sold at auction for £2.9 million in 2006.

Yorkshire-born Hockney's "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/david-hockney-pool-painting-soars-to-90-million-record-for-living-artist-177653">Portrait of an Artist</a> (Pool with Two Figures)" sold for over $90 million in New York in 2018, an auction record at the time for a work by a living artist.

The same year, his "Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica" sold for $28.5 million.

Seminal pop art painting "The Splash" by David Hockney sold for £23.1 million at an auction in Sotheby's London on Tuesday. This is the third-highest price paid for a work by the British artist.

Seminal pop art painting "The Splash" by David Hockney sold for £23.1 million at an auction in Sotheby's London on Tuesday. This is the third-highest price paid for a work by the British artist. "The Splash" is one the most famous paintings painted by Hockney which in 1966. Also read: David Hockney pool painting soars to $90 million, record for living artist It had been estimated to sell between £20m to £30m but it ended up fetching £23,117,000. The painting in Hockney's minimalist style, depicts the moment just after a diver has broken the surface of a swimming pool, capturing the fantasy Californian lifestyle. It is considered one of the stand-out pop art images of the 20th Century and is one of a trio of works alongside A Little Splash and A Bigger Splash. Watch: Replica of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa sells for 553,000 euros According to Emma Baker, head of the contemporary art sale at London's Sotheby's auction house "Not only is this a landmark work within David Hockney's oeuvre, it's an icon of Pop that defined an era and also gave visual identity to LA". Sotheby's also called the work "a quintessential example of Hockney's lifelong fascination with the texture, appearance and depth of water". The price, bid by an unknown buyer, is nearly eight times that achieved when the work last sold at auction for £2.9 million in 2006. Yorkshire-born Hockney's "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)" sold for over $90 million in New York in 2018, an auction record at the time for a work by a living artist. The same year, his "Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica" sold for $28.5 million.

David Hockney's pop art icon 'The Splash' fetches £23.1 million

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Painting found by junk dealer turns out to be Picasso’s original portrait worth $6.5 million

David Hockney's pop art icon 'The Splash' fetches £23.1 million