In Mère et enfant (Mother and Child), 1922, Picasso returns to the image of mother and child, a recurring theme in his long career. The quiet profile of the woman holding her son becomes a visual metaphor for the strength and certitude of the maternal bond. Drawn with confident lines, this double portrait feels more like an allegory than an image of two specific subjects. Picasso draws the idea of motherhood; the solid form of the woman's body fills the frame while the gesture of her right hand draws the eye to her child. Leaning inward, woman and son are engaged only with each other - their bond creates an inner world to which only they have access. The love is not an exclusionary one, however, and the viewer feels drawn into the scene just as the child reaches for his mother's hand.

Created after an original work by Picasso, this rare color etching and aquatint is numbered from the edition of 100 in the lower left. It is hand-signed by Pablo Picasso (Malaga, 1881 - Mougins, 1973) in pencil in the lower right. This work has only come on the market a few times in the past ten years.

Provenance:
1. Private collection, France.

LITERATURE:

1. This work is listed as catalogue no. 370 in the catalogue raisonne of the artist's work, researched and written by Christian Zervos.

ABOUT THE FRAMING:

Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, this work is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and Plexiglas.