Grinning manically out from the page is Pablo Picasso Le Vieux Roi (The Old King), 1963. Crafted using multiple plates to achieve overlapping colors, the king delights the viewer in shades of brilliant blue, pink, yellow, and brown – with added detailing in black and white. His spiraling blue and pink eyes draw us in, and they gleam with white. His smile is wide and squiggles across his face. He is crowned with a playful piece and one of the spikes droops to the right. The lines are expressive and they trace life and vivacity across the face of the old king.

Created in 1963, this original color linocut on Arches wove paper is published by La Patriote, Nice. Hand signed by Pablo Picasso (Malaga, 1881 – Mougins, 1973) in pencil in the lower right margin, this artwork is numbered from the edition of 160 in pencil in the lower left margin.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Pablo Picasso The Old King (Le Vieux Roi) 1963, 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 1959-1965. Berne: Editions Kornfeld, 1989. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 1338.

2. Bloch, Georges. Picasso: Tome I, Catalogue de l’oeuvre gravé et lithographié 1904-1967. Berne: Editions Kornfeld et Cie, 1986. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 1152.

3. Lieberman, William S. Picasso Linoleum Cuts. New York: Random House, 1985. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 104.

4. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:

Framed to archival museum grade conservation standards, Pablo Picasso The Old King (Le Vieux Roi) 1963, is presented in a complementary moulding with silk-wrapped mats and optical-grade Plexiglas.