But is it art? Pranksters plant missing Picasso

Writer admits she fell for publicity stunt

Awriter who thought she had found a painting by Pablo Picasso stolen in an infamous art heist six years ago said on Sunday she was the victim of a “publicity stunt”, Dutch media reported.

Picasso’s Harlequin Head was one of seven celebrated paintings snatched from the Kunsthal museum in Rotterdam in 2012 during a daring robbery local media dubbed “the theft of the century”.

The artworks by Picasso, Monet, Gauguin, Matisse and Lucian Freud have not been seen since.

But Dutch writer Mira Feticu, who wrote a novel based on the brazen heist, thought she had uncovered the piece after she was sent an anonymous letter around 10 days ago. Feticu, of Romanian origin, told journalists the tip-off led her to a forest in the east of the country where she dug up an artwork wrapped in plastic.

Romanian authorities, who were handed the canvas on Saturday night, said that it “might be” Picasso’s painting, which is estimated to be worth €800,000 (Dh3.35 million or $915,000).

However, on Sunday night Feticu told the Dutch public broadcaster NOS that she was the victim of a “performance” by two Belgian directors in Antwerp.

Feticu said she received an email from Belgian duo Bart Baele and Yves Degryse explaining that the letter was part of a project called ‘True Copy’.