Pablo Picasso, The Vulture, from Histoire naturelle, 1970 (after)

1970

This exquisite lithograph after Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), titled L'Epervier (The Sparrowhawk), originates from the rare 1970 folio Pablo Picasso, Histoire naturelle (Natural History...

This exquisite lithograph after Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), titled Le Dindon (The Turkey), originates from the rare 1970 folio Pablo Picasso, Histoire naturelle (Natural History). Pub...

The Vulture is an aquatint and drypoint print on chine from one of the deluxe copies of Picasso's 1942 Histoire Naturelle - Textes de Buffon series. The image size is 10.6 x 8 inches, unsigned as issued, and framed in a contemporary silver and gray moulding. One of about 36 prints that exist with Picasso's remarqued title in French, from the edition of 262 (there were 226 portfolios, some with additional sets on varying papers). Catalogue - Cramer #37 The exceptional etchings from Picasso’s Histoire Naturelle – Textes de Buffon are a masterful combination of sugar-lift aquatint and drypoint, showcasing a full range of gray tonalities. The etchings of animals, birds and insects are considered some of the most beautiful and most unusual examples of Picasso’s graphic work. Roger Lacourière, Picasso’s master printer, pulled the prints for each etching between 1939-1942. It was Lacourière who taught Picasso the sugar-lift aquatint technique which allowed him to mimic the effect of brushstrokes in these etched images. Picasso first explored the technique in his plates for the Vollard Suite, but it was in the creation of the Buffon images that he fully realized its stunning, painterly potential. For the edition, 226 portfolios were produced with the first thirty-six counting as deluxe compilations. These rare deluxe sets were on diverse papers (chine, japon or vergé ancien) and each included a complete additional suite showing Picasso’s title remarques along the bottom. As such, the remarqued versions of the prints are quite rare with just thirty-six of each produced for the edition (with the exception of The Wolf which is never remarqued – the image always fills the entire etching plate). These prints are based on the writings of French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, who extensively documented the natural world in his monumental work Histoire Naturelle. Picasso’s association with the project to illustrate parts of the Buffon came during a tumultuous time in European history – the prelude to, and early years of, World War II. As the continent was ravaged, Picasso lived through the disaster in Paris, which the Germans occupied in 1940. These prints could be seen as a political statement – Picasso channeling his artistic expression into a form of resistance art...

Artist: After Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Title: Minotaure blesse VI (Bloch 196) Year: 1992 Medium: Reproduced from the original edition using the grain Autotype halftone screen process by Druck- und Verlag GmbH, 4200 Oberhausen, Germany; lithographically printed by Druck- und Verlag GmbH on japon handmade 200 g/sqm paper by created by Richard de Bas in Ambert, France and imported by Japico Drissler Feinpapiere, Frankfurt, Germany. Paper Size: 18 x 12.75 inches; a size slightly reduced from the original Vollard edition for differentiation Condition: Excellent Inscription: Artist’s signature posthumously lithographically reproduced from the original Vollard edition, and numbered in pencil by the curators of the Municipal Museum Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany. 168/300. Notes: Published by Municipal Museum Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany in cooperation with the Society for the Promotion of the museum in 1992 and the Fundación Picasso; printed by Plitt Druck- und Verlag GmbH, 4200 Oberhausen, Germany. The following is a German to English translation of the original text issued by the Municipal Museum Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany in the following from which this graphic is a part, “In order to give a broad public access to this unique print work by Pablo Picasso in its entirety and at the highest quality level, the support group for the city. Museum Mülheim an der Ruhr initiated and significantly supported the new edition of the “Suite Vollard.” The reprint of the "Suite Vollard" includes a limited edition of 300 copies of 100 loose sheets each in a linen cassette. The copies were numbered from 1 to 300 on the leader sheet. The reproductions were produced in grain screen mode, a process in which which eliminates the traditional line grid and achieves maximum originality. The paper was hand-made specifically for this work by Richard de Bas in Ambert, France, one of the most traditional paper mills in Europe. The paper for the original edition also comes from this factory. The quality Blane narcisse, belin, 200 g/sqm was selected and imported from Japico Drissler Feinpapiere, Frankfurt. Reproduction and paper format has been slightly reduced compared to the original edition. The technical development and overall production was carried out by Plitt Druck- und Verlag GmbH, 4200 Oberhausen.” PABLO PICASSO (1881-1973) Spanish painter and sculptor is one of the most recognized figures of twentieth century art. During his artistic career, which lasted more than 75 years, he created thousands of works using all kinds of mediums. He changed art more profoundly than any other artist of his time. First famous for pioneering cubism...