# $1M Piece of Garbage Dumpster Divers Recover "Tres Personajes" Painting by Rufino Tamayo By Rose A. Valenta | Published 2007-11-22 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/recovered-rufino-tamayos-tres-personajes-sells-for-1-million References: [newsvine](http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2007/11/21/1112747-painting-found-in-trash-sells-for-1m) & [newsvine](http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2007/11/21/1112747-painting-found-in-trash-sells-for-1m) Not into trash picking, you say? Elizabeth Gibson was walking in Manhattan's Upper West Side a few years ago, when she spotted a painting and retrieved it from someone's trash, without knowing it was Rufino Tamayo's painting called “Les Personajes” (three people). She later learned who painted it, and that it had been stolen from a Texas collector in 1989. She recently returned the painting, got a $15.000 reward and part of the sale price of $1,049,000.00, when the owner subsequently sold it at [Sotheby's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yayoi-kusama-exhibition). Rufino Tamayo 1899-1991 was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. His early works have been compared to those of Diego Rivera. His later works feature [vivid colors and expressions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/racesroots) of his hometown. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.9/10 - Popularity: 50% | Activity: 60% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Modern](https://www.trendhunter.com/modern) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Trash-to-treasure:** The trend of finding value in discarded items and repurposing them, presenting opportunities for upcycling businesses. - **Art Resurfacing:** The trend of uncovering lost or stolen artwork and returning it to its rightful owners or finding new buyers, presenting opportunities for art authentication and recovery services. - **Unconventional Collectibles:** The trend of unexpected valuable items being found in unconventional places, presenting opportunities for collectors and treasure hunters. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **UPCYCLING:** Opportunities for upcycling businesses that transform discarded items into new products to meet demand from environmentally conscious consumers. - **ART AUTHENTICATION AND RECOVERY:** Opportunities for businesses that provide art authentication and recovery services, including the use of technology for identifying stolen or lost artwork. - **COLLECTIBLES:** Opportunities for collectors and treasure hunters as unconventional collectibles gain value and generate interest in uncovering valuable items in unexpected places. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Mexican Artist Tequila Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gonzalo-lebrija.md) - [Snack Artwork Auctions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mischief-by-chester.md) - [Leftover Househouse Paint Artwork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paint-drop.md) - [Artistic Collectible Tequila Releases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/francisco-toledo-edition.md) - [Rediscovered Iconic Masterpieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gustav-klimt1.md) - [Neo-Mexican Art Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/para-morelio.md) - [Glass Beaded Intricate Artworks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/painting-exhibition.md) - [Hand-Painted Tequila Bottles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maestro-dobel-atelier-trajineras-edition.md) - [Pearl-Centric Art Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/giga-pearl.md)