Pablo Picasso, Bacchanale II, 1955. Created after an original india ink gouache on paper by Pablo Picasso from September 22-23, 1955.  Numbered 88/300 in pencil in the lower left and stamp signed by Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) in green ink in the lower right, just above the date in black, ‘22.23.9.55  II’.

Most intriguing about this work is the stunning coloration and quality of the bright, periwinkle blue that highlights the right side of this bacchanalian composition.  We are focused on the grandeur and celebration of wine and its god, Bacchus who is basked in this bright, soothing light.  We see the profile of a flute player on the left, providing the harmonious song which our characters dance wildly and happily to.  It is a lush portrait inspired by Greek mythology that Picasso has elegantly and delicately created; the swift, quick strokes add detail to shading and the hair of our figures, while thick, bold lines help anchor them within and set them apart from the background.

Illustrated In:
1.    The Picasso Project. (2000) Picasso’s Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Sculpture: The Fifties I 1950 – 1955. Alan Wofsy Fine Arts: San Francisco. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 55-179 on pg. 322.
2.    Texas A&M University. The Online Picasso Project. http://picasso.tamu.edu/picasso/. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. OPP.55:145.

About The Framing:
Conservation framed with archival materials, this work is set in a beautifully carved, Spanish-inspired bronze and black frame.  The immense texture of this work is highlighted with the simple organic and curved elements within the moulding.  Contrasting hues of the etched work against the gold moulding enhance and accentuate the rich tones within this piece.  Completed with white, linen-wrapped mats and a matching black inner fillet, this work is set behind an archival Plexiglas® cover.