MADISON, Wis. – Bill DeLind thought the Picasso print that was stolen from his Milwaukee gallery in 2018 was gone forever. But then police called last week and asked him to look at an artwork that a local landlord found while cleaning out a vacant apartment.
DeLind immediately recognized the stolen “Torero” print, one of only 30 known to exist that are signed by Picasso. “I was overwhelmed,” DeLind expressed. “I was at a loss for words. It was an overwhelming moment for me.”
Interestingly, the sticker from his DeLind Fine Art Appraisals was still on the back of the framed print, just as it had been placed there in 2018. “It was indeed mine,” DeLind said. “It came back full circle.”
Milwaukee landlord Tim Dertz told WISN-TV that he discovered the print while cleaning out an apartment of someone who had been evicted. “It was kind of in a weird spot hanging on a wall,” Dertz explained. “It looked like it had been there for a long, long time because it had tons of dust across the top of it.”
After finding the print, Dertz showed it to an antique dealer friend who recognized it as a Picasso and suggested it was the one DeLind reported stolen in 2018. Dertz subsequently handed it over to the police, who then contacted DeLind.
“When they called me, I was in disbelief,” DeLind said, reflecting on the moment he learned the artwork had been found. This case is particularly interesting because the Milwaukee Police Department mentioned that the statute of limitations for theft and property crimes is generally six years, but the investigation remains open. Caroline Clancy, a spokesperson for the FBI in Milwaukee, declined to provide further comments.
When the print was stolen in 2018, it was appraised at between $35,000 and $50,000. DeLind believes that while the value may not have changed significantly, the story surrounding the artwork could push its worth closer to $50,000 now.
Currently, the artwork remains in the possession of the Milwaukee police while the client who commissioned it for sale with DeLind’s art gallery works through matters with his insurance company.
DeLind also shared an emotional connection to the piece, noting that his former business partner, who passed away in February, was deeply affected by the theft in 2018. He would call police every year on the anniversary of the crime, hoping to publicize it again in the hopes that the Picasso could be found. “He would have been over the moon about this,” DeLind said. “It was special to him.”
