PABLO PICASSO | Nu couché

Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris
Saidenberg Gallery, New York
Marlborough Gallery, Inc., New York
Galerie Beyeler, Basel (acquired by 1971)
Galerie Le Clos de Sierne, Geneva
Private Collection, New York
Thomas Ammann Fine Art, Zurich
Acquired from the above in 1987

Basel, Galerie Beyeler & traveling, Ausstellung Picasso—90 Zeichnungen, 1971-72, no. 75
Basel, Galerie Beyeler, Picasso 1881-1981, 1981, no. 112
Basel, Galerie Beyeler, Nudes—Nus—Nackte, 1984, no. 87 
Basel, Galerie Beyeler, Picasso, der Maler und seine Modelle, 1986, no. 93
Zurich, Thomas Ammann Fine Art, Picasso, Drawings, Watercolors, Pastels, 1988, n.n.

Christian Zervos, Pablo Picasso, Oeuvres de 1969, vol. XXXI, Paris, 1976, no. 366, illustrated pl. 108

This work is in excellent condition. Executed on cream wove paper. The sheet is hinged at three places along the top edge of its verso. All four edges are deckled. There is a slight undulation to the sheet. A few scattered stains and studio transference.
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 was executed in 1969 when, at almost 90, Picasso’s own physical stamina had inevitably waned, yet his focus on erotic subjects in his paintings and drawings only intensified. Rendered with a confident and free-flowing line, this image of a reclining nude is one of pure sensuality and takes the odalisque paintings of Ingres and Matisse as clear references. The figure reclines languorously and her contortions evoke some of Picasso's most sensual depictions of the voluptuous Marie-Thérèse from the 1930s while also recalling the drama of his masterpieces like La Femme qui pleure with the figure’s gnarled fingers and contorted head. It is Picasso's innate ability to combine his dream-like, voluptuous imagery with the energetic confrontation of his strong line which makes Nu couché a master example of his late work.