MILWAUKEE — A rare Picasso etching reported stolen from a Milwaukee gallery in 2018 has been recovered after a landlord found the work while clearing a vacated apartment, gallery owner Bill DeLind said Friday. The print, titled “Torero,” is one of roughly 30 known impressions signed by Pablo Picasso and was appraised at between $35,000 and $50,000 the year it disappeared.
How the print reappeared
Milwaukee landlord Tim Dertz told local television he discovered the framed piece hanging on a wall while cleaning out an apartment of an evicted tenant. Dertz said heavy dust on the frame made it appear as if it had been on the wall for a long time. After consulting an antique-dealer friend who identified the work as a Picasso and suggested it matched the gallery’s 2018 theft, Dertz turned the piece over to police.
“It was kind of in a weird spot hanging on a wall. It looked like it had been there for a long, long time because it had tons of dust across the top of it,” Tim Dertz told WISN-TV.
Police then contacted DeLind, whose appraisal sticker remained affixed to the back of the framed print. DeLind said he immediately recognized the work as the one stolen from DeLind Fine Art Appraisals and described the moment as overwhelming.
“I was overwhelmed. I was at a loss for words. It was an overwhelming moment for me,” DeLind said Friday.
Legal and custodial status
The Milwaukee Police Department said the matter remains under investigation. In an email, the department noted that the statute of limitations for theft and property crimes is generally six years, but did not elaborate on whether charges would be pursued. A spokesperson for the FBI in Milwaukee declined to comment.
The recovered etching remains in the possession of Milwaukee police while the gallery’s client — who had commissioned the print for sale — coordinates with an insurance company, DeLind said. DeLind also noted that his former business partner, who died in February, had been distraught by the 2018 theft and called police each year on the anniversary of the incident in hopes the piece would resurface.
Value and provenance concerns
The print’s previous appraisal range of $35,000–$50,000 may be affected by its unusual history. DeLind suggested that, given the circumstances surrounding its recovery, the etching might now be closer to the higher end of that range.
While the original appraisal and the presence of the gallery sticker help confirm provenance, the path the work took between 2018 and this week remains unclear: police have not released details about when the apartment’s occupant obtained the piece or any investigative findings to date.
- 2018: Etching reported stolen from DeLind Fine Art Appraisals.
- 2018 appraisal: $35,000–$50,000.
- 2026 discovery: Landlord finds print in a vacated Milwaukee apartment and turns it over to police.
- Current status: Artwork in Milwaukee police custody; investigation ongoing; client working with insurer.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | “Torero” |
| Artist | Pablo Picasso |
| Known signed impressions | 30 |
| 2018 appraisal | $35,000–$50,000 |
| Recovering party | Milwaukee landlord Tim Dertz |
Broader implications for stolen art cases
The recovery underscores ongoing challenges around art theft, provenance and restitution. Even with a visible appraisal sticker and a well-documented theft, artworks can remain missing for years and reappear under uncertain circumstances. Insurance, ownership claims and criminal investigations often intersect in such recoveries, complicating resolution for galleries and collectors.
Officials have not provided a timeline for returning the print to its owner or any details about potential legal action. For now, the etching’s provenance is bolstered by the gallery’s sticker and DeLind’s recognition, but questions remain about the period when it was unaccounted for.
As the police investigation continues, the recovered “Torero” may bring closure to those affected by the theft while prompting further scrutiny of how valuable artworks circulate after being taken.
