Thailand was considering a deal to keep in the country a picture reputedly drawn by Pablo Picasso as a raw teenager, an art historian claimed.

A Thai consortium that owns the pastel profile of a woman has offered it to the nation for 50 million dollars instead of selling it abroad, Professor Winai Phun-numphon of Bangkok’s Silpakorn University told AFP.

Market experts said the picture sounded similar to Picasso pictures of the era but cast doubts over its value, saying if it proved genuine was likely to reach about 100,000 to 200,000 dollars at auction.

Independent experts have not authenticated it amid scepticism over the claims and Picasso experts contacted by AFP said they had no knowledge of the picture.

The piece has been named “Original Carmen” by its owners who claim it was drawn around 1897 when Picasso was 16. They say it is similar to Picasso’s pencil drawing “Carmen”, on display in Barcelona. Businessman Sittha Tianukrit, a member of the consortium, told AFP earlier this year that the picture was given to Thailand’s King Rama V by Queen Maria Christina of Spain during a royal visit to Spain in 1897, just after its completion.

It was later auctioned and eventually sold to the present group of Thai owners.

Professor Winai said: “I am 1,000 percent confident that the picture was drawn by Picasso as artists could not hide their strokes even if they changed their style. Their strokes are unique.”

“The owners are willing to sell it to the government if they are interested, and will sell it for $50 million.”

Tom Dickson, copyright agent for the Picasso Estate in Australia, said the picture was “not totally out of his oeuvre” and said a picture of its kind would typically sell for 100,000 to 200,000 US dollars.

General Kasemchart Naressenie, a member of Thaksin’s staff, said he had seen the picture. “In my opinion, the picture is very beautiful and it is antique but I can’t confirm whether it was drawn by Picasso,” he said.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?p...22-7-2004_pg9_1

Yep its worth 50 million dollars.

I propose thailand have a public gambl..oops lottery to raise the funds required as this project will raise the name of thailand in high international esteem.

Hi... i'm a thai who never agree with the idea.. i think many thais thinking the same thing with me ( sorry..my english is so bad )

original carmen is just a portrait or an art that's worth for someone or a group of people in thailand ( and for western people ) but NOT FOR US and it's not so important that the government has to buy it with the money of our country ..we have many cultural heritages ( that cannot be defined by money ) which is necessary preserved and we have to spend a lot of money on it.

so..i think it's so stupid to waste the money on something that most thai people never see its value

... a man will be great if he lives in a place that most people there love him

Who wants to buy my picassos. A bargain at only 5 Million each. Must be kept in Thailand!