May 5, 2017 - May 16, 2017
Title: "L’ Italienne:Femme au Livre"
etching on Arches paper with full margins,1918/ 1919, as signed in pencil by the artist, numbered 42/50, As published by Gallerie Paul Rosenberg, Paris and printed by Ateliers Andre
As recorded and illustrated in the standard texts by Bloch 34, Bloch Books 8, Cramer 8 - page 30, Geiser 56, Barr p. 108 & 275, Baer 56.bMallen, Enrique, ed. (OPP) 1997-2015. Online Picasso Project. Sam Houston State University. (19:162)Picasso et le Tricorne", musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, 1992, n°53.
Comments: This plate was issued in the book “Le Tricorne” . The etching was supplied loose in a japan folder with title on the front cover and printers address on the back, colophon and grey number on the inside flap. This etching was the result of a co-operation with the Russian Ballet Master Serge Diagalev who had been thinking of creating a Spanish ballet since 1916. Through his friend Igor Stravinsky he met the young Spanish Composer, Manuel de Falla and requested him to make the score for his new ballet. Diagalev went on to commission Picasso to design the sets and costumes for the ballet which was called “Le Tricorne” after the three cornered hat worn by the hero in the plot. Picasso and his wife Olga traveled to London and were in England for three months working on the project. Picasso created twenty different studies for the stage sets and the designs finally chosen were illustrated in the album containing this etching. The ballet was performed for the first time in London in 1919 and the following year it had it’s premier in Paris. The album was in fact published by Paul Rosenburg who by this time had become Picasso’s official dealer (Kahnweiller formerly his main dealer had lost all his money after the French government requisitioned his business in the aftermath of the First World War. Faced with this tragedy, the young art dealer was unable to pay Picasso moneys owed to him. The unforgiving artist, at this point, deserted his former patron, protector and friend). It happens that some of the documentation surrounding this etching is still to be found in the archives - but is in no way complete. There is a letter from Paul Rosenburg to Picasso dated 21/9/1919 suggesting an edition of 15 examples to be sold at 75 Francs per work. In the event this project was not completed and the etching was created to accompany the album described above. The "Italian" of the etching represents a character in the ballet; a superb portrait of a similar theme was made in 1919 (see Zervos. III.363)
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plate size: 5 7/8 by 3 7/8 in. (14.9 x 10.0 cm.)
In very good condition. Additional and larger photos and more information may often be available in our main site catalog.
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