Back in the early 1970s, Pierre Le Guennec was Pablo Picasso's handyman and electrician. Le Guennec had such a good relationship with the artist that he says Picasso gave him an enormous collection of his artwork before his death in 1973. The stash includes 271 pieces of Picasso's work never before seen — including drawing pads and sketches of famous paintings — worth an estimated $100 million.
So why are we only hearing about this now? 60 Minutes journalist Bill Whitaker chronicled the incredible story for the 49th season premiere of the CBS news show, airing Sunday. Whitaker went to the tiny village in France where Le Guennec lives with his wife, Danielle. It turns out that Le Guennec had pretty much forgotten about the treasure trove of rare art until he had a health scare and decided it was time to straighten out his affairs. He took the art to the Picasso experts in Paris — led by Picasso's son Claude — to authenticate it. The art turned out to be the real thing, and experts and historians were stunned.
But Claude and Picasso's other living heirs were not happy. According to CBS, the Le Guennecs got into a conflict with the Picasso family, who, presumably, believe the art belongs to them. Watch 60 Minutes on Sunday to find out what happens next.
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