A Picasso masterpiece not seen in public for more than four decades has sold at auction for € 9.3 million - more than twice the expected price.

Tête de Femme (Jacqueline), a portrait of the Spanish artist's second wife, had not been seen in public since 1967 and was expected to fetch up to four million pounds at the sale on Tuesday in London, said Christie's auctioneers. The 1963 painting had never been offered at auction and remained in the same collection since 1981.

Tête de Femme (Jacqueline) fetched £8,105,250, said Christie's, and was just one of a string of masterpieces up for sale which also included works by Renoir and Matisse.

Picasso's wife Jacqueline was said to have had a short neck and the painter would often exaggerate its size in portraits.

Christie's would not reveal the identity of the buyer.

The Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale raised a total of £76.9 million, with four works selling for more than £5 million, said Christie's.

The sale sent a signal that "demand is high and that knowledgeable buyers from around the world are committed to acquiring works of art," said Giovanna Bertazzoni, Christie's director of Impressionist and Modern Art.

Pablo Picasso, who was a Spanish painter, sculptor and draughtsman, is one of the most eminent figures of the 20th-century art. A variety in the styles of art characterised this great artist. With his natural talent in art since childhood, Picasso grew up to become a world famous figure.

According to his mother, his first words were piz piz, which meant pencil in Spanish. This shows his inborn liking for painting. Since an early age, Picasso's father trained him in figure drawing and oil painting.