#5: A Paint Roller Near a Picasso Auction
Before a Christie’s auction in 2018, Picasso’s Le Marin suffered damage from an unexpected source, not a reckless buyer or a crowded public event, but a paint roller extension pole that fell near the work. The painting had been expected to bring a major price, yet one accident was enough to pull it from sale and send everyone into the slow world of restoration, insurance, and legal consequences. Auction rooms can feel polished and controlled from the outside, with clean walls, careful lighting, and white-glove handling.
