The painting has long been an archaeological dilemma[dubious – discuss], and several different hypotheses have been put forth on its origins, authorship and dating.

[2] The "White Lady" archaeological site is located close to the road from Khorixas to Henties Bay, in the area of Uis, on the Brandberg Massif.

The paint was probably made of ochre, charcoal, manganese, hematite with blood serum, egg white and casein used as binding agents.

Breuil noted analogies between the White Lady and paintings of athletes found in Knossos (Crete), and suggested that the Brandberg might have been visited by a group of travelers coming from the Mediterranean area.

In 1945 Breuil could finally visit the White Lady site, and published his theories on the Mediterranean origin of the painting first in South Africa and then in Europe.

Breuil's farfetched theory aligned with the racist policies of the South African government at that time, which downplayed any evidence that Black people could produce sophisticated art works.

In the second half of the 20th century, most theories about Mediterranean influences on the ancient history of sub-Saharan Africa (like those about Great Zimbabwe being "non-African" in origin) were gradually dismissed.