Art world sensation: What's really painted beneath Picasso masterpiece

Woman beneath the Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto

Picasso’s Blue Period (1901-1904) marked a pivotal stage in the development of his artistic style, which was characterized by a melancholic atmosphere and cool blue-green tones.

The Courtauld Institute of Art in London has unveiled that beneath the famous Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto lies another hidden painting - a depiction of a woman.

This discovery was made possible through X-ray and infrared analysis, which revealed hidden layers of paint. The finding sheds new light on Picasso’s techniques and offers fresh insights into his creative process.

Hidden image on Picasso’s portrait revealed (Photo: Courtesy of the Courtauld Institute of Art)

Unveiling the mystery of the painting: who was the woman beneath the portrait?

Under the portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto, painted by Picasso in 1901, another image of a woman appeared, likely painted a few months earlier. Her hairstyle, in a "chignon" style popular among Parisian women at the time, suggests that she may have modeled for several other of Picasso's paintings that year.

The woman in the painting resembles characters seen in other works by the artist, such as "The Absinthe Drinker" and "Woman with Folded Arms." This discovery also suggests that Picasso may have worked on a painting in an impressionist style before transitioning to his Blue Period.

At the time, Picasso was going through an emotional crisis after the death of a friend, which may have influenced his choice of models and technique. According to researchers, the identity of the woman has not yet been determined, but she could have been a model, a friend, or even a lover of the artist. Picasso may have used this painting as part of his experimentation with different styles and techniques.

Picasso's painting "The Absinthe Drinker" (Photo: Wikipedia)

How Picasso created his paintings

The discovery of this painting also provides insight into Picasso's creative process, as he frequently altered his works, transforming one image into another. Using X-ray and infrared studies, experts managed to determine that the portrait of Mateo Fernández de Soto was not the first version of the painting, as another image lay beneath it.

This confirms Picasso's flexible artistic approach, as he often changed one image for another - such discoveries help us better understand how Picasso worked and his inclination to rework his pieces.

The discovery of multiple layers beneath famous paintings also demonstrates the depth of the artist's internal exploration, revealing his willingness to even alter his most important works. These kinds of findings are often part of significant breakthroughs in the art world.

Similar discoveries in art history

This is not the only case in the art world where hidden images have been found beneath famous paintings. Similar discoveries have been made in the works of artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Salvador Dalí, and René Magritte.

For example, beneath Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," another painting was found, showing the artist's attempts to depict various versions of the figure. In the case of Dalí, it was discovered that he often reworked his canvases, creating multiple layers of painting, which later helped restorers reconstruct unknown parts of his works.

Beneath René Magritte's "The Mysteries of the Horizon," which initially appeared as a classic landscape, another version of the composition was found, altering the perception of the original work.

These cases demonstrate that the process of creating art was often experimental and dynamic, and artists sometimes consciously changed their works.