Mysterious Portrait of a Woman Discovered Beneath Painting from Pablo Picasso's Blue Period

Mar. 15, 2025

Mysterious portrait of a woman revealed beneath Picasso painting.Photo:The Courtauld/Facebook

The Courtauld/Facebook

Historians recently made an unexpected discovery while examining one ofPablo Picasso’s paintings.When taking X-ray and infrared images of a “portrait depicting Picasso’s sculptor friend painted in 1901 and one of the earliest examples of the artist’s Blue Period,” conservators atThe Courtauld Institue of Artin London discovered that underneath the portrait was a painting of a woman.

Historians found the artwork hidden in Picasso’s “Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto," which is currently part of an upcoming exhibit, according to a press release.

The newfound painting was likely created a few months before Picasso started his official portrait.

Faint images of a women in Picasso’s “Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto.".The Courtauld/Facebook

The woman’s head, curved shoulders and fingers are easily seen in the portrait. Viewers can even make out the women’schignonhairstyle — a popular hairdo at the time. Further evidence suggests there is another head at a lower level of the painting, suggesting the canvas might have been reworked multiple times.

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Picasso’s “Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto.".The Courtauld/Facebook

Although the figure of the woman is clear, her identity is not, according to the institude.

The painting closely resembles other Parisian women that Picasso painted that year, and experts say it could be “a model, a friend or even a lover.”

At just 19 years old, Picasso arrived in Paris in May 1901. He started the year favoring a lively Impressionistic style with bright colors. Later in the year, he entered what is known as his Blue Period — a more somber and contemplative style. Historians often point to the suicide of Picasso’s friend Carlos Casagemas as the inspiration for the new period.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!See the “Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto” as part of the Goya to Impressionism exhibit at The Courtauld Institute from Feb. 14 to May 26.

source: people.com