A previously unknown portrait by Pablo Picasso has surfaced in Paris, sparking excitement in the international art community. The work, depicting one of his most famous muses, Dora Maar, was unveiled on Thursday ahead of its sale at the Drouot auction house.
Entitled “Bust of a woman with a flowery hat”, the painting is expected to sell for at least €8 million ($9.5 million). Auctioneer Christophe Lucien revealed that the colourful oil on canvas, measuring 80 x 60 centimetres, carries a reserve price that could rise significantly during bidding.
Painted on July 11, 1943, during the height of World War II, the portrait has never been exhibited publicly. It was acquired in 1944 by a French collector, the grandfather of the present owners, and remained in the family collection for decades.
Agnès Sevestre-Barbé, a Picasso expert present at the unveiling, described the discovery as “quite exceptional.” She emphasized that the work “marks a milestone in the history of art and in that of Picasso,” given its rarity and historical significance.
The portrait shows Dora Maar with a melancholy but graceful expression, adorned with a vivid, flowery hat. The painting captures a poignant moment in Picasso’s life, as he was leaving Maar for the younger artist Françoise Gilot.
Maar, a French photographer, painter, and poet, was Picasso’s most important muse. Their tumultuous nine-year relationship began in 1936 and profoundly influenced the Spanish master’s artistic direction. She appears in some 60 of his works, including The Weeping Woman series, while also collaborating with him on his anti-war masterpiece Guernica.
While celebrated as Picasso’s muse, Maar struggled after their breakup, plunging into depression. A major 2019 exhibition at the Pompidou Centre and Tate Modern aimed to highlight her own artistic achievements, seeking to pull her out of Picasso’s shadow.
The unveiling of this long-hidden portrait comes amid a challenging period for the art market. Sales of Picasso’s works, traditionally viewed as a key indicator, dropped from $597 million in 2023 to $223 million in 2024, according to Artprice data.
Nonetheless, demand for his works remains strong. Earlier this year, Picasso’s Homme assis (1969) sold for $15.1 million at Sotheby’s New York. His record sale remains The Women of Algiers (Version O), which achieved $179.4 million at Christie’s in 2015.
For collectors and historians alike, the rediscovery of Bust of a woman with a flowery hat is an extraordinary event. “The fact that it has only ever been seen in Picasso’s studio makes it a truly historic find,” Sevestre-Barbé noted.
The painting will now enter the spotlight as one of the most significant works to appear on the market this year. For admirers of Picasso and Dora Maar, it represents not only a glimpse into the artist’s personal life but also a rare opportunity to own a piece of modern art history.