A previously little-known Pablo Picasso portrait of Dora Maar, titled *Bust of a Woman with a Flowered Hat (Dora Maar)* (1943), sold for $37 million at Lucien Paris auction house on October 24, 2025—nearly four times its $9.5 million estimate. The painting had been owned by the same family since 1944 and was shown publicly for the first time in 80 years at Hôtel Drouot before the sale. Auctioneer Christophe Lucien called it the highest auction price for any artwork in France this year.
The sale underscores the enduring strength of the Picasso market, even for lesser-known works, and highlights the continued fascination with Dora Maar as both a muse and an artist. The painting's dramatic price surge—quadrupling its estimate—reflects the rarity of fresh-to-market works with strong provenance. It also brings renewed attention to Maar's own artistic legacy, which has gained recognition in recent years.