Great event in the calendar of art. An unpublished portrait of Dora Maar by Pablo Picasso, entitled Bust of a woman with a flower hat, will be auctioned on October 24, 2025 at the Maison Lucien Paris. It is the first time that collectors can appreciate this work.
Painted in 1943 during the German occupation of Paris, the bust of a woman with a flower hat by Picasso (1881-1973) was acquired the following year by a French collector and has remained in the same family since then. This painting is an unpublished portrait of Dora Maar, whose real name was Henriette Theodora Markovitch (1907-1997), a French artist and photographer, best known for having been the muse and companion of Pablo Picasso in the 1930s and 1940s.
The auctions on October 24, 2025
This portrait is distinguished from other representations of Dora Maar by its bright color palette and its more soothing tone. Unlike the darker works of this period, such as La Femme qui pleure, this painting presents a softer and melancholic Dora Maar, with a richly decorated floral hat. The painting is part of one of the 28 portraits of a woman in a hat that the artist painted during the year 1943. It is signed, dated “July 11, 1943” on the back, and bears the reference “CH 44” from the Zervos catalog.
Bust of a woman with a flower hat has now left the family home (wishing to remain anonymous) which had preserved it for several decades. The work has been validated by the Picasso Committee, guaranteeing its authenticity. It will be visible for three days starting from October 21, 2025. It is therefore the first time that the public can appreciate this painting. Or even acquire it.
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Featured photo : © Succession Picasso 2025
