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Picasso, Pablo, Harlequin (from the Barcelona Suite)

"Yet Cubism and Modern art weren't either scientific or intellectual; they were visual and came from the eye and mind of one of the greatest g… [Read biography »]

Signed Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973), Original Lithograph, Harlequin (from the Barcelona Suite)

Picasso Lithograph signed, Harlequin (from the Barcelona Suite)

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Description:
Artist:	Picasso, Pablo (1881 - 1973)
Title:	Harlequin (from the Barcelona Suite)
Medium:	Original Lithograph
Image Size:	17 3/16 in x 22 1/2 in (43.6 x 57 cm)
Sheet Size:	30 1/4 in x 21 3/4 in (76.8 cm x 55.2 cm )
Framed Size:	35 1/4 in x 41 1/2 in (89.5 cm x 105.4 cm)
Signed:	Hand signed by Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973) in pencil in the lower right margin
Edition:	Numbered 11/60 in the lower left, also have the blindstamp of the Museo Picasso in the lower left as well
Condition:	Excellent
Price : Item# 1457	$17,500 (Sale 40 % off: $10,500) (Sales not combinable and not available on prior sales or trade ups) To speak directly with the Director, Alex Adelman, please call (510) 777-9970 / 1-800-805-7060.

Offering crisp tonal values, this work represents Picasso extensive work on the theme of the Harlequin. A source of fascination for the artist, this image offers a pensive representation that combines both the artist realistic and cubist styles, creating an iconic image of Picasso's early career. Originally painted in 1917, this work was printed in 1966 from the 'avant la lettre' edition. The work is signed and numbered in pencil, Picasso appears in the lower right and numbered from the the edition of 60 and publisher's blindstamp appear along the lower left. Of this particular image only 60 signed impressions were made. Please note: Picasso had made only seven blue period color print editions during his lifetime. Of those, five were of editions of only 60, and two were of editions of 200. So ALL blue period style prints are extremely scarce. This one is among the nicest. The figure's costume and the brilliant red drape at the left of the image, infuse the work with a quality of dramatics. Averting his eyes from the audience the figure looks to the side of the stage with his left arm resting along the banister, as if he was watching his fellow performers. In all Picasso creates an intimate character study, which focuses on the individuality of the figure rather than the entertaining aspects of his assumed persona. Of this work Rosa Maria Subirana states, "in this period Cubism and Classicism exist side by side stemming from the influences of the theatre and ballet together with ancient Roman art…this Harlequin represents a variation on his traditional theme. It constitutes possibly his best work during that time" (Rodrigo, 1482) , Rodrigo goes on to state, "The "pensive Harlequin," as O'Brian calls it, is a character linked with Picasso's past, mainly his Neo-Impressionist and Pink Periods. In this painting, the Harlequin reflects a serenity and, at the same time, a sadness that might correspond to Picasso's emotional state at the time (1917) , when his love affair with Olga had still not been resolved" (Rodrigo, 1482) . Catalogue Raisonné & COA: It is fully documented and referenced in (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that I will accompany the final sale of the work) : 1) Luis Carlos Rodrigo, Picasso In His Posters: Image and Work, Volume 3, 1992, listed on page 1481 as plate 151. 2) Czwiklitzer, Christopher, Picasso's Posters, 1971, listed as cat no 230 with details on pg 341. About the Framing: Conservation framed with museum quality archival materials, this work is set in a modern gold leaf and black frame. The thin lines of the moulding create a focal point on the image and compliment the textural quality of this work. The gold tonality accentuate the bright hues and contrasting darks of this work. Completed with cream colored linen-wrapped mattes and a matching gold inner fillet, this work is set behind an archival Plexiglas cover.
Style:	cubism 20th century modern art blue period

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Biography of Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973)

"Yet Cubism and Modern art weren't either scientific or intellectual; they were visual and came from the eye and mind of one of the greatest geniuses in art history. Pablo Picasso, born in Spain, was a child prodigy who was recognized as such by his art-teacher father, who ably led him along. The small Museo de Picasso in Barcelona is devoted primarily to his early works, which include strikingly realistic renderings of casts of ancient sculpture.

"He was a rebel from the start and, as a teenager, began to frequent the Barcelona cafes where intellectuals gathered. He soon went to Paris, the capital of art, and soaked up the works of Manet, Gustave Courbet, and Toulouse-Lautrec, whose sketchy style impressed him greatly. Then it was back to Spain, a return to France, and again back to Spain - all in the years 1899 to 1904.

"Before he struck upon Cubism, Picasso went through a prodigious number of styles - realism, caricature, the Blue Period, and the Rose Period. The Blue Period dates from 1901 to 1904 and is characterized by a predominantly blue palette and subjects focusing on outcasts, beggars, and prostitutes. This was when he also produced his first sculptures. The most poignant work of the style is in Cleveland's Museum of Art, La Vie (1903), which was created in memory of a great childhood friend, the Spanish poet Casagemas, who had committed suicide. The painting started as a self-portrait, but Picasso's features became those of his lost friend. The composition is stilted, the space compressed, the gestures stiff, and the tones predominantly blue. Another outstanding Blue Period work, of 1903, is in the Metropolitan, The Blind Man's Meal. Yet another example, perhaps the most lyrical and mysterious ever, is in the Toledo Museum of Art, the haunting Woman with a Crow (1903).

"The Rose Period began around 1904 when Picasso's palette brightened, the paintings dominated by pinks and beiges, light blues, and roses. His subjects are saltimbanques (circus people), harlequins, and clowns, all of whom seem to be mute and strangely inactive. One of the premier works of this period is in Washington, D.C., the National Gallery's large and extremely beautiful Family of Saltimbanques dating to 1905, which portrays a group of circus workers who appear alienated and incapable of communicating with each other, set in a one-dimensional space.

"In 1905, Picasso went briefly to Holland, and on his return to Paris, his works took on a classical aura with large male and fernale figures seen frontally or in distinct profile, almost like early Greek art. One of the best of these of 1906 is in the Albright-Knox Gallery in Buffalo, NY, La Toilette. Several pieces in this new style were purchased by Gertrude (the art patron and writer) and her brother, Leo Stein.

Picasso enjoyed creating his art on many media. From paintings to etchings to ceramics, all of his works are a testament to his skills. There are even Picasso prints that are worth more than a unique original work since many of his prints are so amazing.