By Pablo Picasso
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), titled La Danse (The Dance), from the album Picasso Lithographe III, 1949-1956 (Picasso Lithographer III, 1949-1956), originates from the 1956 edition published by Editions du Livre, Monte-Carlo, under the direction of Andre Sauret, Editeur, Monte-Carlo, and Fernand Mourlot, Editeur, Paris; printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, October 6, 1956. La Danse embodies Picasso’s vigorous exploration of movement and mythic vitality, rendered through expressive contour and rhythmic composition that reflect his sustained reinvention of classical themes in the 1950s.
Executed as a lithograph on grand velin Renage filigrane paper with la marque de l'editeur, this work measures 12.625 x 9.75 inches (32.07 x 24.77 cm). Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition reflects the exceptional craftsmanship of Mourlot Freres and the continued scholarly collaboration between Andre Sauret and Fernand Mourlot in documenting Picasso’s graphic oeuvre.
Artwork Details:
Artist: Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)
Title: La Danse (The Dance), from Picasso Lithographe III, 1949-1956 (Picasso Lithographer III, 1949-1956)
Medium: Lithograph on grand velin Renage filigrane paper with la marque de l'editeur
Dimensions: 12.625 x 9.75 inches (32.07 x 24.77 cm)
Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued
Date: 1956
Publisher: Editions du Livre, Monte-Carlo, under the direction of Andre Sauret, Editeur, Monte-Carlo, and Fernand Mourlot, Editeur, Paris
Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris
Catalogue Raisonne: Picasso, Pablo, et al. Picasso Lithographe. Andre Seuret, 1949-1964, illustration 281
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From the album Picasso Lithographe III, 1949-1956 (Picasso Lithographer III, 1949-1956), published 1956
Notes:
Excerpted from the album (translated from French), This publication, directed by Fernand Mourlot and Andre Sauret, was printed in MMD examples, on grand velin Renage filigrane paper a la marque de l'editeur, was completed on October 6, 1956 on the presses of Mourlot Brothers and Louis Duval, master printers in Paris. The typography is from L'Imprimerie Union.
About the Publication:
Picasso Lithographe III, 1949-1956 (Picasso Lithographer III, 1949-1956), published in 1956 by Editions du Livre, Monte-Carlo, under the direction of Andre Sauret in collaboration with Fernand Mourlot, represents the culminating volume in the foundational survey of Picasso’s lithographic production. Covering a period of extraordinary experimentation, the publication documents Picasso’s sustained engagement with lithography as an autonomous and innovative medium. Printed on grand velin Renage filigrane paper bearing the publisher’s watermark, the edition exemplifies the highest standards of mid twentieth century French art publishing, uniting rigorous documentation with masterful printing. The partnership between Picasso and the Mourlot atelier played a transformative role in advancing modern lithography, and this volume stands as an essential scholarly reference for collectors, museums, and historians. As part of the broader Picasso Lithographe project, the publication solidified the importance of printmaking within Picasso’s oeuvre and reinforced the album format as a vehicle for serious modern art scholarship.
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 La Danse...
Category
1950s Cubist Continental US - Art
