Guggenheim sues Massachusetts couple to reclaim missing Picasso stolen in 1961
The Guggenheim has filed a lawsuit to retrieve a Picasso painting that vanished from the University of Pittsburgh in 1961 and was recently found in the collection of Lawrence Jay Handler and Wendy Cohen Handler.
A Picasso canvas titled “Femme dans un fauteuil,” which was on loan from the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation to the University of Pittsburgh in 1961, was stolen from the student union and vanished for 62 years. A 2023 investigation by Christie’s uncovered the missing work in the private collection of Lawrence Jay Handler and Wendy Cohen Handler of Massachusetts. The Guggenheim has now filed a lawsuit demanding the painting’s return, stating it has always been the rightful owner and that settlement attempts have failed.
The museum’s spokesperson emphasized the urgency of recovering the artwork. The piece, painted during Picasso’s honeymoon in Biarritz, was estimated at $100,000 at the time of the theft and is likely valued at several million dollars today. The case revives a cold-case heist that originally prompted a police and FBI investigation and a $100 reward.
Why it matters
It highlights ongoing legal battles over cultural heritage and the challenges of recovering stolen art.
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