Pablo Picasso’s alleged marriage-ending painting could sell for over $120M

nypost.com:

A famous painting created by Pablo Picasso in 1932 is being prepped for auction and fine art experts believe it could sell for more than $120 million.The painting, known as “Femme à la Montre” in French or “Woman in Watch” in English, is now in the hands of the New York City-based fine art auction house Sotheby’s, according to a press release obtained by FOX Business.If the pre-sale estimate holds true, Femme à la Montre would become the second most expensive Picasso painting to sell at auction.Sotheby’s New York is planning to sell the painting in November through a single-night auction.

The painting belonged to Emily Fisher Landau, an esteemed New York philanthropist, art collector and patron, who died in March at the age of 102.Femme à la Montre is one of the 120 works that make up The Emily Fisher Landau Collection.Sotheby’s New York will auction off the items on Wednesday, Nov.

8, and Thursday, Nov. 9, according to the company’s news release.“Bidding for the Evening Auctions is conducted online, over the phone, and in-person,” a spokesperson for Sotheby’s wrote to FOX Business via email.Fisher Landau reportedly purchased Femme à la Montre in 1968 when she first started her art collection, and the impressionist painting hung above the mantle in her New York home, according to Sotheby’s.The auction house noted the painting has a controversial history due to Picasso basing his painting on his muse and mistress, Marie-Thérèse Walter, which reportedly ended his marriage to Russian-Ukrainian dancer Olga Khokhlova.Knowledgeable viewers of Femme à la Montre recognized Walter’s features in the painting, and that the French model was depicted wearing one of Picasso’s “treasured watches,” according to Sotheby’s.“…when the.