A Pablo Picasso masterpiece expected to fetch at least $120 million at auction went on show Monday in Dubai, kicking off a set of rare viewings outside the United States.
"Femme a la montre", the 1932 portrait of Marie-Therese Walter, Picasso's mistress and "golden muse", is being exhibited for two days before heading to Hong Kong and London, a boon for the United Arab Emirates' bid to establish itself as a cultural powerhouse.
The viewing is "the first time a painting of this calibre by the world-renowned artist has ever been exhibited in the UAE", Sotheby's Dubai said in a statement, noting it is the first time the portrait had been shown outside the United States in half a century.
"Over the years the UAE has earned the status of being a global art destination, which receives a further boost as this rare Picasso is unveiled here," said UAE Culture Minister Sheikh Salem bin Khalid al-Qassimi.
