Picasso, Arlequin au Baton

1987

This exquisite lithograph by Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), titled Le cavalier bleu (The Blue Rider), from Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, Vol. VII, No. 25–26, originates from the 1951 issue published by Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, under the direction of Teriade, Editeur, Paris, and printed by Draeger freres, Maitres-Imprimeurs, Paris, October 25, 1951. This remarkable composition exemplifies Picasso’s dynamic postwar period in Vallauris, where he explored themes of mythology, vitality, and the human spirit through bold forms and radiant color. Le cavalier bleu reflects Picasso’s fascination with movement and symbolism, uniting painterly vigor and poetic freedom in a masterful vision of modernism. Executed as a lithograph on velin du Marais paper, this work measures 14 x 10.5 inches. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the superb craftsmanship of the Draeger freres atelier, renowned for its collaborations with the leading modernists of the 20th century. Artwork Details: Artist: Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Title: Le cavalier bleu (The Blue Rider), from Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, Vol. VII, No. 25–26, 1951 Medium: Lithograph on velin du Marais paper Dimensions: 14 x 10.5 inches Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1951 Publisher: Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, under the direction of Teriade, Editeur, Paris Printer: Draeger freres, Maitres-Imprimeurs, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, Vol. VII, No. 25–26, published by Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, 1951 Notes: Excerpted from the album (translated from French), This issue of Verve is entirely devoted to Picasso’s recent works (peintures, sculptures et ceramiques) made in Vallauris between 1949 and 1951. The cover and the frontispiece were specially composed by the artist for this work which was completed to print on the presses of the Maitres-Imprimeurs, Draeger freres on October 25, 1951. About the Publication: Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire was one of the most influential art periodicals of the 20th century, founded in Paris in 1937 by the visionary Greek-born publisher Teriade (Stratis Eleftheriades). Conceived as a synthesis of art and literature, Verve brought together the greatest modern artists and writers of its time—Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Fernand Leger, and others—alongside poets and philosophers such as Paul Eluard, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Each issue was a work of art in itself, luxuriously printed by master lithographers such as Mourlot Freres and produced in collaboration with leading typographers and designers. Verve became a platform for avant-garde creativity, publishing original lithographs and essays that reflected the evolving spirit of modernism. Matisse collaborated closely with Teriade from the magazine’s inception, producing some of its most iconic issues, including those devoted to his paper cut-outs. The final Verve issue of 1958, which featured La Tristesse du Roi and the Nu Bleu series, stands as a testament to Matisse’s enduring genius and to the publication’s legacy as the definitive meeting of art, poetry, and printing craftsmanship in 20th-century France. About the Artist: Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist whose extraordinary vision revolutionized modern art and defined the visual language of the 20th century. A child prodigy from Malaga, Spain, Picasso’s career spanned more than seven decades and encompassed an astonishing range of styles and innovations—from the melancholic Blue and romantic Rose periods to his pioneering invention of Cubism with Georges Braque, which shattered conventional notions of perspective and form. Influenced by the bold expressiveness of El Greco, the structure of Cezanne, and the vitality of African and Iberian sculpture, Picasso became a central figure of the Paris avant-garde, working in creative dialogue with contemporaries such as Henri Matisse, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray. His insatiable experimentation extended across painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture, forever expanding the boundaries of artistic expression. A master of reinvention, Picasso profoundly shaped generations of artists who followed—from Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, and Jean-Michel Basquiat to Jeff Koons and Banksy—cementing his status as a timeless cultural icon whose works remain among the most sought after worldwide. His landmark painting Les Femmes d’Alger (Version “O”) achieved a record-breaking sale of $179,365,000 at Christie’s, New York, on May 11, 2015, affirming Picasso’s enduring legacy as one of the most influential and valuable artists in history. Pablo Picasso Le cavalier bleu, Picasso Verve...

This exquisite lithograph after Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), titled Clown et femme nue (Clown and Nude Woman), from Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, La Comedie Humaine (The Human Comedy), Vol. VIII, No. 29–30, originates from the 1954 issue published by Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, under the direction of Teriade, Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1954. This expressive and evocative composition captures Picasso’s enduring fascination with the circus and the human condition, recurring themes throughout his long career. Clown et femme nue reflects the artist’s profound empathy for the performers of his imagination—figures of strength, fragility, and grace that embody the drama and poetry of life itself. Executed during his Vallauris period, this work radiates vitality and emotional tension, merging his signature economy of line with masterful balance and movement. Executed as a lithograph on velin du Marais paper, this work measures 10.5 x 14 inches. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the superb craftsmanship of the Mourlot Freres atelier, renowned for its collaborations with Picasso and other leading modernists of the 20th century. Artwork Details: Artist: After Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Title: Clown et femme nue (Clown and Nude Woman), from Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, La Comedie Humaine (The Human Comedy), Vol. VIII, No. 29–30, 1954 Medium: Lithograph on velin du Marais paper Dimensions: 10.5 x 14 inches Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1954 Publisher: Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, under the direction of Teriade, Editeur, Paris Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, La Comedie Humaine (The Human Comedy), Vol. VIII, No. 29–30, published by Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, 1954 Notes: Excerpted from the album (translated from French), This double issue of Verve, dedicated to Picasso, whose cover was specially composed by the artist, was completed to print on September 15, 1954 by the maitres imprimeurs, Drager freres for the heliogravures, and Mourlot freres for the color lithographs. Excerpted from the publisher (translated from French), Last winter, from mid-December to the end of January 1954, Picasso was working indefatigably on this series of drawings, which rank among the finest, boldest, most poignantly human of all he has produced in the course of his long and brilliant career... Almost one could fancy that in his lonely nights at Vallauris these denizens of a world invented by himself crowded into the artist's room, sat for him, confessed unblushingly their most shameful secrets... We have published the series of drawings in its entirety. They form an organic whole, born of a surging uprush of the creative spirit, and to have omitted any of its elements would have been a mutilation. Nevertheless, when we isolate any one of these elements and fix our attention on a single page, we find the fragment almost as eye-filling as the ensemble. All the drawings are printed in the exact size of the originals and in the chronological order of their making. About the Publication: La Comedie Humaine (The Human Comedy), Vol. VIII, No. 29–30 (1954), stands as one of the most significant Verve issues dedicated entirely to Pablo Picasso’s prolific creativity during his Vallauris years. Conceived and directed by Teriade, this double volume presents an extraordinary series of Picasso’s drawings executed between December 1953 and January 1954, printed in their full sequence and original scale. The collection represents a deeply human and poetic vision—an unfiltered exploration of comedy, tragedy, and the theatre of life. Printed by the master atelier Mourlot Freres for the color lithographs, this issue exemplifies Verve’s tradition of pairing literary sophistication with visual innovation. It stands as a testament to Picasso’s restless genius and Teriade’s enduring commitment to producing artistically and historically important publications that bridge art, literature, and modern printing craftsmanship. About the Artist: Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist whose extraordinary vision revolutionized modern art and defined the visual language of the 20th century. A child prodigy from Malaga, Spain, Picasso’s career spanned more than seven decades and encompassed an astonishing range of styles and innovations—from the melancholic Blue and romantic Rose periods to his pioneering invention of Cubism with Georges Braque, which shattered conventional notions of perspective and form. Influenced by the bold expressiveness of El Greco, the structure of Cezanne, and the vitality of African and Iberian sculpture, Picasso became a central figure of the Paris avant-garde, working in creative dialogue with contemporaries such as Henri Matisse, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray. His insatiable experimentation extended across painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture, forever expanding the boundaries of artistic expression. A master of reinvention, Picasso profoundly shaped generations of artists who followed—from Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, and Jean-Michel Basquiat to Jeff Koons and Banksy—cementing his status as a timeless cultural icon whose works remain among the most sought after worldwide. His landmark painting Les Femmes d’Alger (Version “O”) achieved a record-breaking sale of $179,365,000 at Christie’s, New York, on May 11, 2015, affirming Picasso’s enduring legacy as one of the most influential and valuable artists in history. After Pablo Picasso Clown...