Jackson Pollock painting found in Bulgaria smuggling raid
A painting by abstract artist Jackson Pollock has been seized during an organised crime raid in Sofia, Bulgaria. The painting was previously unknown to have been attributed to Pollock, and now experts say that it dates back to 1949 and may have a value of €50million.
However, as of yet, a description of the painting has not been released. It was discovered during a raid that was a collaboration between the Greek and Bulgarian anti-organised crime forces. As well as Sofia, other raids took place in Athens and on Crete island.
Police have made arrests of three Greek citizens and one Bulgarian, and five further paintings by “prominent artists” were taken in during the raids. The Pollock painting has now been handed to the National Art Gallery in Bulgaria, where specialists will examine it.
The back of the painting is said to feature a dedication to the American actress Lauren Bacall, written by Pollock himself. “Dedicated to my very talented and dear friend Lauren Bacall, Happy Birthday,” the inscription reads. The message is dated September 16th, 1949, which would have been Bacall’s 25th birthday. Bacall had also been a keen art collector, and in 2015, the year before she died, the actress sold a number of art items at auction, but no Pollock works were included.
