The Italian authorities seized 21 artworks attributed to Salvador Dalí, which were allegedly replicas, on Tuesday.
The pieces associated with the surrealist painter were part of the exhibition ‘Salvador Dalí: Between Art and Myth,’ which opened last week at Palazzo Tarasconi in Parma.
The police confiscated drawings, tapestries, and prints after conducting an inspection of the exhibition in January, which was then displayed at Museo Storico della Fanteria.
“During the inspection, something seemed wrong. We realized that only Dalí’s lithographs, posters, and drawings were on display, along with some statues and other items, but no paintings or anything of significance. It was hard to understand why anyone would organize an exhibition of works of such low value,” stated Diego Poglio, the officer in charge of the investigation.
Arazzi, disegni, incisioni e oggetti attribuiti a Salvador Dalí esposti in una mostra a Parma. #Carabinieri #TPC sequestrano 21 opere ritenute false️ https://t.co/AMM7dkSfYC pic.twitter.com/m8BxLWIwV2
— Arma dei Carabinieri (@_Carabinieri_) October 1, 2025
The authorities reported their suspicions to the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, which disclosed that they were not contacted by the exhibition’s organizers.
“We found this absolutely strange because if you want to organize an exhibition of an artist’s works, especially one so important, you cannot bypass the foundation that manages the collection,” noted the representative.
Subsequently, the police sent photographs of the artworks to the foundation, which agreed that “something was not right” and dispatched a team of experts to Rome.
Poglio emphasized that the investigation is in its preliminary stage and that no one is currently suspected of any wrongdoing.
The exhibition, consisting of approximately 80 artworks, was displayed in the Italian capital from January to July. It then reopened in Parma on September 27 and is scheduled to remain on display until February 1 of the following year.
