Artdayme: The highest-value painting ever to be brought to the Middle East will be arriving in Dubai next week.

Picasso’s portrait of Marie-Thérèse Walter will be displayed at Sotheby’s Dubai in DIFC from Monday September 25 to Tuesday September 26.

You can see the iconic piece for free between 2pm and 5pm on Monday and 10am to 7pm on Tuesday before it embarks on a world tour ending up in the USA.

Painted in 1932, the colourful work of art is being sold at auction in New York in November. It has an estimated value of an eye-watering $120 million (approx Dhs440 million).

Emily Fisher Landau and the artwork: Courtesy Sotheby’s

Art collector Emily Fisher Landau bought the painting in 1968 and it has hung in her living room for the last 50 years. The painting’s stint at Sotheby’s Dubai is the first time in 50 years that the piece has been on display to the public outside of the US.

The portrait is one of the artist’s most notable as it features a watch which, though one of the artist’s interests, only appeared in three of his pieces. Painted in 1932, Picasso had been creating work for 30 years by the time he put brush to paper with this piece.

Portrait of Marie-Thérèse Walter: Courtesy Sotheby’s

A surrealist depiction of his muse and lover Marie-Thérèse Walter, the Spanish artist painted this portrait five years after they met.

Katia Nounou Boueiz, Head of Sotheby’s UAE said: “It is a true privilege to have a masterpiece of this significance, by one of the world’s most well-known and well-loved artists, unveiled in the UAE as the first stop on its world tour.

“One of the greatest works of modern art, we have ever brought to auction, it is the perfect artwork to showcase and continue our commitment to bringing the best of art and culture to the region.”

If you want to see the painting before it is sold, you’ll need to head to Sotheby’s next week.

Free. Mon Sep 25, 2pm-5pm & Tue Sep 26, 10am-7pm. Sotheby’s Dubai, DIFC (04 435 7436).