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French customs seize Picasso

headofayoungwoman

photo source: AFP

A Spanish national treasure, the painting “Head of a Young Woman” was seized by French customs on Tuesday from a boat docked in Corsica. The painting is worth 25 million euros.

The painting is owned by Spanish banker Jaime Botin. He was not aboard the boat from which the painting was seized, and the export request was not in Botin’s name.

Botin’s family founded the Santander banking group, which owned the vessel. The boat was flying a British flag.

In 2012, an export request for the work was filed, but was opposed by Spain’s culture minister. Then, this year, a Spanish court declared the painting “unexportable” on cultural grounds.

French customs is currently waiting for an official Spanish request to recover the artwork.