The Picasso painting "Head of a Young Woman" was confiscated from a boat, Corsican authorities announced Tuesday. Valued at 25 million euros, the painting is considered a Spanish national treasure and is not permitted to leave the Spanish soil.
Authorities were able to seize the Picasso because of a tip of an attempt to smuggle it, according to Agence France-Presse. The attempt to export it to Switzerland was thwarted since Corsican officials were able to board the vessel the following day.
The captain of the ship presented only two documents supporting the validity of the painting. One of these documents is a Spanish court judgement dated May this year ordering that this 1906 painting is not allowed to leave the country, authorities said.
This Picasso painting is owned by 79-year-old Jaime Botin, a prominent banker in Spain who is associated with the Santander banking entity. Botin, the former vice-chairman of the banking group, was not aboard the boat when the painting was seized. The vessel Adix, which is owned by the company, was flying a British flag, according to the customs spokesman.
The export request was not under Botin's name, the spokesman added, The Guardian reported.
A previous export demand was filed in 2012 to transfer the painting to London but was disapproved by the cultural minister of Spain. In May, a Spanish court declared the Picasso masterpiece "unexportable" since it is of "cultural interest" and is not allowed to leave Spain. It was considered a valuable Spanish heritage since it has "no other similar work on Spanish soil," according to Independent UK.
The head of the Botin family was not charged yet regarding this incident.
This Picasso oil painting is from the artist's "pink period," said CBC News.
