Description:Created in 1959, this original color linoleum cut printed in black, brown, and beige is hand signed by Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) in pencil in the lower right margin. Published by Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris in 1960 and printed by Arnéra, Vallauris on vélin d’Arches paper; numbered 38/50 in pencil in the lower left margin.
This fascinating glimpse into the brief seconds that make the climax of any traditional bullfight “before the lance.” Picasso has bathed our central image of the banderillo in sunlight, however it is the picador and the bull that dominate the scene. Having masterfully crafted the linoleum block, Picasso has carved these characters in swift, jagged strokes, giving them a character and edge of their own. He is able to encapsulate the excitement and momentum of the scene while subtle detail throughout the background illustrate the cheering crowd beyond.
Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
It is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work):
1) Baer, Brigitte. Picasso Peintre-Graveur, Tome V: Catalogue Raisonné de l’Œuvre Gravé et des Monotypes 1959-1965, Paris, 1989. Listed and illustrated as cat. no. 1224, state IIBa on pg. 255.
2) Bloch, Georges. Pablo Picasso, Volume I: Catalogue of the Printed Graphic Work 1904-1967, Berne, 1975. Listed and illustrated as cat. no. 941 on pg. 205.
3) Mr. & Mrs. Charles Kramer Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Picasso Linoleum Cuts, New York, 1985. Listed and illustrated as cat. no. 21 on pg. 35.
About the Framing:
Conservation framed with archival materials, this work is set in a beautifully carved, Spanish-inspired black and gold frame. The immense texture of this work is highlighted with the simple organic and curved elements within the moulding. Contrasting hues of black on gold enhance and accentuate the rich tones within this piece. Completed with white, linen-wrapped mats and a matching gold inner fillet, this work is set behind an archival Plexiglas® cover
