Picasso gift will help uni research

A mystery donor has handed the University of Sydney a Pablo Picasso painting expected to net between £9 million ($18.35 million) and £12 million at auction.

Jeune Fille Endormie was given to the university on condition that it be sold for scientific research.

The portrait of the artist's lover Marie-Therese Walter will go under the hammer on June 21 at Christie's London.

"This is an absolute jewel of a painting by one of the great artistic geniuses of Western art," said Giovanna Bertazzoni of Christie's London.

"Bursting with colour and luring the viewer into the intimate sanctity of Picasso's love for Marie-Therese, the portrait will be offered at auction for the first time having only ever been seen in public once before.

"In recent years, as the art market has reached new collectors, there has been an explosion in the global demand for Picasso's best paintings; this was most evident last year at Christie's in New York when another portrait of Marie-Therese, Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, sold for a world record price of US$106.5 million ($134 million)."

University of Sydney vice-chancellor Dr Michael Spence said the university was delighted with the offering.

He said the overseas donor gave the painting to the university on the strict understanding that it would be sold and the proceeds directed to scientific research.

Picasso met Marie-Therese Walter in 1927 when he was 45 and she was 17.

Of the meeting, she said: "I had gone shopping to the Galeries Lafayette and Picasso saw me coming out of the Metro. He simply grabbed me by the arm and said 'I'm Picasso! You and I are going to do great things together'."

- AAP