Missing 1949 Picasso etching recovered from Milwaukee apartment after eight years
A landlord in Milwaukee discovered an original 1949 Picasso print in a vacant unit and turned it over to police, ending an eight-year mystery.
In August 2026, Milwaukee landlord Timothy Dertz found a faded Picasso etching hidden behind a door in a vacant bedroom of his rental property. After consulting an antique dealer, the green-crayon signature led them to identify the work as the 1949 "Torero" print, one of only 30 originals, which had been stolen from DeLind Fine Art Appraisals in February 2018. The piece, valued at $35,000 to $50,000 at the time, was turned over to the Milwaukee Police Department on August 5, and gallery co-owner Bill DeLind verified its authenticity, expressing amazement at its condition.
The theft had prompted a series of escalating rewards, reaching $10,000, and had been a source of anguish for the late co-owner Michael Goforth. FBI art-crime specialist Robert Wittman noted that stolen works often resurface, a prediction now fulfilled. The insurance carrier that compensated the gallery now owns the etching, but DeLind hopes to temporarily reinstall it for public viewing.
Why it matters
The recovery resolves a long-standing art theft case and restores a rare Picasso to its rightful owners.
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