"The investigation was triggered in 2015 following a complaint from Catherine Hutin, the daughter of Picasso's last partner Jacqueline Roque, after she discovered that works were missing from the unit she had rented from Bouvier's company, in a Paris suburb. Eight years before, she had asked Olivier Thomas, an art dealer and mutual friend of hers and Bouvier's, to sell Picasso's last residence on the Riviera, the Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie in Mougins, and move the furniture to the storage unit."
"While the investigation was underway, Hutin reported further disappearances, raising the total of missing works to almost 70. Some were found in photographs on Olivier Thomas' camera. Notably, two portraits of her mother and 60 drawings from sketchbooks were discovered to have been sold by Bouvier to Dmitri Rybolovlev, for a total of €36m."
"Bouvier claimed that the Picasso works had come from the late Parisian dealer Jean-François Aittouares. But the investigating judge found 'there is not a single element establishing his involvement'. Bouvier tells The Art Newspaper that 'it was a verbal agreement', explaining that he pa"
Yves Bouvier, a Swiss art dealer, faces trial in Paris for allegedly concealing stolen goods and money laundering related to dozens of missing Picasso works. The investigation began in 2015 when Catherine Hutin, stepdaughter of Picasso's last partner, discovered artworks missing from a storage unit she rented from Bouvier's company. Over eight years, the missing works total nearly 70 pieces, including two portraits and 60 sketchbook drawings. Some were sold to Russian collector Dmitri Rybolovlev for €36 million. Bouvier's business partner Olivier Thomas faces charges of breach of trust, embezzlement, and laundering. Bouvier claimed the works came from deceased dealer Jean-François Aittouares, but investigators found no evidence supporting this claim. A trial date remains pending.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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