USA-FRANCE/PICASSO U.S. authorities return stolen Picasso painting to France

Record ID: 144112

  • Title: USA-FRANCE/PICASSO U.S. authorities return stolen Picasso painting to France
  • Date: 13th August 2015
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (AUGUST 13, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FRENCH EMBASSY SIGN CLOSEUP OF FRENCH EMBASSY SIGN PICASSO "LA COIFFEUSE" PAINTING CLOSEUPS OF PICASSO PAINTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR SARAH SALDANA SAYING: "So, while we recognize that there is certainly a value that has been attached to this particular painting, we take pride in the fact that art like this is truly priceless and we're so glad that it's going to be shown to the world again." AMERICAN AND FRENCH FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SARAH SALDANA SAYING: "Certainly, we are returning it to its rightful owners, the government of France. As the deputy chief of missions said, we know about the history of the painting. We know that it was last displayed in 1998 in Munich when the world last got to see this extraordinary piece. And, it was sitting in the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris when it was reported stolen. And now, over a hundred years after its creation, here we are returning it to the government of France." SARAH SALDANA AND DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSIONS FREDERIC DORE WIDESHOT OF SARAH SALDANA
  • Embargoed: 28th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2CJGHOU47XP2YESMM9KW7TEDF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A $15 million painting by Pablo Picasso, "La Coiffeuse," was returned to French authorities on Thursday, (August 13) nine months after being found in a FedEx shipment.
    U.S. Immigrations and Customs (ICE) Enforcement Director Sarah Saldana turned over the 1911 cubist oil painting to French officials in a ceremony at the French Embassy.
    "Certainly, we are returning it to its rightful owners, the government of France," Saldana said.
    The painting was last displayed in Munich in 1998 but was stolen not long after it was returned to the National Museum in Paris. The U.S. government officials did not offer details of how the painting was recovered earlier this year from a FedEx shipment.
    Similarly, an Edgar Degas painting was returned to the French government in a January 2011 ceremony. The Department of Homeland Security has repatriated more than 7,800 items to more than 30 countries, the agency said in a statement.
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