Gagosian Sues Qatari Agent Over Picasso Sculpture Ownership Dispute

Larry Gagosian has initiated legal proceedings against Pelham Holdings, representing the Qatari royal family, regarding ownership of Picasso's Bust of a Woman (1931). Both parties assert they purchased the sculpture from Picasso's daughter, Maya Widmaier-Picasso, with Gagosian paying $106 million in May 2015 and Pelham acquiring it for $42 million in November 2014. The artwork is currently displayed in MoMA's Picasso Sculpture exhibition in New York. Court documents reveal Pelham filed last May when Widmaier-Picasso, aged 80, allegedly agreed to sell to Gagosian. Gagosian emphasizes his dispute targets the Qataris' representative, not the royal family directly. According to filings, the dealer has paid 75% of the price to Widmaier-Picasso, transferring title after this payment, enabling resale to an undisclosed New York collector. The collector anticipates receipt after MoMA's show concludes on 7 February 2016. The New York Times reported the case on 13 January 2016, with legal action ongoing.