A Pablo Picasso painting believed to depict his muse and partner Dora Maar was sold in Paris on Friday for 27 million euros ($31.49 million).

The work entitled “Bust of Woman in Hat with Flowers (Dora Maar) 1943» had been purchased by a French family in 1944 and remained in their private collection for decades, until the heirs decided to hammer out.

With commissions, the final price came to 32 million euros, according to his representative Drouot auction house. The buyer was present in the room, but his identity was not revealed.

The painting had never been shown to the public before the auction and until now had only existed in one photograph from 1944, art experts said.

“It is without a doubt Picasso’s most emotional work involving his muse, because at the time he was about to break up with Dora Maar for the French painter Françoise Gillot“, said auctioneer Christophe Lisien.

“And through this portrait we see a woman trying to hold back her tears. For an auctioneer, it is real luck to have a piece of art history in front of him».

Expert Anias Sevestre-Barb explained that the heirs chose to put it up for sale because there was no way to physically divide it between them.