Police Recover Picasso's 'Little Guitar' Toy Sculpture Made for Paloma Picasso

Italian Carabinieri paramilitary police officers display Picasso's "Little Guitar'' toy sculpture made for the artist's daughter Paloma, during a press conference in Rome, Tuesday Dec. 29, 2009. Police say they have recovered from a Roman businessman Picasso's "Little Guitar" toy sculpture made for the artist's daughter Paloma. AP Photo/Angelo Carconi.

ROME (AP).- Police say they have recovered from a Roman businessman Picasso's "Little Guitar" toy sculpture made for the artist's daughter Paloma.

Carabinieri police say Picasso had given the toy to his friend, Italian artist Giuseppe Vittorio Parisi. Parisi lent it to the businessman two years ago to build a glass showcase for it to be exhibited at the civic museum on Lake Maggiore.

But police say the unnamed businessman never returned the work, keeping it in a shoe box in his home in Pomezia.

Parisi died in January. His widow alerted police that the "Little Guitar" was still in the hands of the businessman.

Carabinieri Capt. Gabriele De Pascalis says the businessman is free on charges of fraud. The guitar is heading to the museum as planned. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Italian Carabinieri paramilitary police officers display Picasso's "Little Guitar'' toy sculpture made for the artist's daughter Paloma, during a press conference in Rome, Tuesday Dec. 29, 2009. Police say they have recovered from a Roman businessman Picasso's "Little Guitar" toy sculpture made for the artist's daughter Paloma. Carabinieri police say Picasso had given the toy to his friend, Italian artist Giuseppe Vittorio Parisi. Parisi lent it to the businessman two years ago to build a glass showcase for it to be exhibited at the civic museum on Lake Maggiore. But police say the unnamed businessman never returned the work, keeping it in a shoe box in his home in Pomezia. AP Photo/Angelo Carconi