271 undocumented works by Pablo Picasso estimated to be worth at least €60 million (£50 million) have been discovered in the South of France. Pierre Le Guennec, a retired French electrician and his wife have revealed the paintings drawings and prints, which had been stored in a garage for over 30 years. The former security system installer, who once worked for Picasso, in his home on the French Riviera, claims that the treasure trove was a gift to him from Madam Jacqueline Picasso, with the knowledge of the master. The estate has other thoughts and the works have now been seized, pending a lengthily court battle.The mystery began when Claude Picasso,son of the artist and head of the foundation named after him received a letter from a man who said he owned original Picasso pieces and wanted to have them verified for authenticity.Picasso convinced the man to bring the collection to Paris, saying he would be unable to verify it from photographs. The man arrived by car with the paintings in a suitcase and laid them out on a table.“I felt a great surprise, naturally, lots of emotion at the discovery of pieces with which we were not familiar. But also a deep disturbance,” he told French daily Liberation. “Many of these pieces were not dated, which means they never should have left the studio.” The cache, dating from the artist’s most creative period from 1900 to 1932, includes previously undocumented sketches, plus nine Cubist collages said to be worth €40 million (£34 million).
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