Pablo Picasso

(probably) Daniel Saidenberg Gallery, New York

Private Collection (probably acquired from the above in the 1970s and sold: Sotheby's, New York, May 9, 2007, lot 320)

Acquired at the above sale

Christian Zervos, Pablo Picasso, oeuvres de 1967, vol. 25, Paris, 1976, no. 269, illustrated pl. 123 (catalogued as the verso of no. 270)

The Picasso Project, Picasso's Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Sculpture.  The Sixties II, 1964-1967, San Francisco, 2003, no. 67-033, illustrated p. 276

Very good condition. The colors are vibrant and fresh, with no indication of fading. The sheet, which was previously double-sided, has been expertly divided under the supervision of Maya Picasso and laid down to an acid-free mat. There is some very slight discoloration to the extreme edges from a previous mounting, but this does not affect the composition, which is in excellent condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present work reveals Picasso mining the rich tradition of Spanish Baroque painting, a frequent source of inspiration for the artist in the 1960s and early 1970s.  References to Old Masters are especially prevalent in the series of drawings from early 1967 of which this colorful sheet is a part.

The artist found stimulus in the full gamut of 17th century painting, including secular, mythological, and religious art.  The watermelon eater is the lineal descendant of the cheerful urchins depicted by Murillo, the fruit evoking Mediterranean heat and sensuality.  The flute player is a secularized faun, his mythical pipes replaced with a modern instrument, his goat legs supplanted by a mortal's, but the pagan vitality remains.  With the man holding a lamb, Picasso has translated his figure from a religious to a secular setting.  He derives from that most egalitarian of standard Christian images, the Adoration of the Shepherds, in which humble field hands arrive to celebrate the birth of the King of Kings.

This work is recorded in the catalogue raisonné as a double-sided drawing, but the sheet was divided in two under the supervision of Maya Picasso.