A wide range of animals also appear in "The Unknown Masterpiece." Bulls, owls, fish, birds, a horse, a dog, a wolf, and even a spider and a snail make an appearance.

"The Unknown Masterpiece" probably contains the largest concentration of animal forms in any single work by Picasso. In this respect, it cnsa said to prefigure Picasso's bestiary Illustrations for Buffon's classic, "Histoire Naturelle," produced just two years later, in 1936.

The concealed animal forms in "The Unknown Masterpiece" are associated generally with the themes of death and sexuality. At other times their inclusion form part of poetic pun.