Pablo Picasso, 1950-1953. November 24-December 19 1953
Price: $15,000.00
Original Wrappers. New York: Curt Valentin Gallery [1953]. First Edition. Near Fine.
With text by Paul Eluard, translated by Roland Penrose. First edition, first printing. Signed and dated "8.6.54" by Picasso on the title page, with an original black ink sketch of a bull's head. Publisher's stapled pictorial yellow wrappers, printed in black. Near fine, with some toning to wrappers, a couple of small closed tears to right edge of front wrapper, and Hôtel Drouot auction venue stamp ("AUTHENTIQUE / Auteur: [blank] / Embassy / HÔTEL DROUOT / PARIS - FRANCE") to recto of leaf preceding title page. Overall, a scarce original drawing by Picasso, of one of his favorite subjects. Between 1950 and 1953 was a highly productive and innovative period for Picasso. During that time, he lived in Vallauris in the South of France with Françoise Gilot and their two children, and worked out of the perfume-factory-turned-art-studio, Le Fournas, and at the Madoura workshop. The Nov. 24-Dec. 19, 1953 exhibition at Curt Valentin Gallery showcased the range of Picasso's work during those years, featuring 28 oil paintings, 18 sculptures, 6 ceramics, 11 lithographs, and 2 aquatints. New York Times art critic Howard Devree writes of the exhibition, "Here are some of the diabolical, deliberately ugly profile-and-full-face-at-once portraits; landscapes semi-abstract and semi-expressionist which are powerful formal organizations; ceramics such as 'The Picador' which are primarily decorative; sculptures such as the preternaturally wise or witch-like owls in several media; at least one figure, 'The Kneeling Woman,' in which he seems to have extended cubism; lithographs and aquatints which make one marvel anew at his unmatched wizardry of linear expressiveness…" (Nov. 29, 1953). The bull was a recurring and totemic motif in Picasso's work throughout his entire career. His fascination with the animal stemmed from childhood, when he was often taken by his father to Spanish bullfights in his hometown in Málaga, Spain. Even in the Curt Valentin exhibition, there were multiple works related to bulls and bullfighting, including the ceramics "Blue Picador," "Picador," and "Toreador." Hôtel Drouot is a historic auction venue in Paris, France that has been in operation since 1852. The venue has long been recognized as the keystone of the Paris art market and is home to about 70 independent auction firms. Item #PP003
