French art consultant Olivier Thomas and Swiss dealer Yves Bouvier are set to face trial in Paris over allegations involving stolen Picasso paintings, according to sources close to the case.
The trial dates have not yet been scheduled.
Approximately 70 works by renowned Spanish painter Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) are reportedly involved, based on information obtained by French news agency AFP and confirmed by 'The Art Newspaper' publication.
The investigation began after Catherine Hutin-Blay, daughter of Picasso’s second wife, Jacqueline, filed a complaint in March 2015, claiming that several paintings had been stolen. Among them are portraits entitled 'Tête de femme' and 'Espagnole à l’éventail,' which depict her mother.
Hutin-Blay believed the pieces were stored in a specialised facility in Gennevilliers (Hauts-de-Seine), where artworks and items belonging to Pablo and Jacqueline Picasso had been kept after the sale of their house in Mougins (Alpes-Maritimes) in 2008.
The case gained traction when Brazilian restorer Flavio Capitulano informed Hutin-Blay in January 2015 that he had restored and mounted the two paintings in Geneva at the request of an intermediary.
The paintings were allegedly transferred to a company owned by Yves Bouvier and subsequently sold in 2013 for nearly €30 million to Russian billionaire Dmitri Rybolovlev.
Rybolovlev, owner of AS Monaco football club, said he acquired the works in good faith and handed them over to French authorities in September 2015.
Olivier Thomas, a business partner of Bouvier, had been tasked by Hutin-Blay with clearing out the property in Mougins and transporting the artworks to Gennevilliers.
Bouvier’s lawyer, Philippe Valent, strongly contested the decision to send his client to court, describing it as “not reflective of the truth.” He characterised the case as “absurd” and claimed it exposed “serious malfunctions” within the police and judicial authorities.
According to Valent, the proceedings are based solely on “lies and a manipulation of justice,” and the matter has been referred to the European Court.
The lawyer representing Olivier Thomas had not responded to AFP’s request for comment as of Friday afternoon.
