Pablo Picasso - Print - Drypoint - Nude (A poem in each Paul Eluard book) 7

Artist : Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

Title : Nude, 1956

Medium : Drypoint on thick paper​

Type of work : Print dated in plate 7-9-56 by the artist. This artist's proof was published in addition to the unsigned edition of 120 copies of illustration 1 of the tribute book to Paul Eluard "A poem in each book" published by Louis Broder in 1956. In the book, illustration 1 is the frontispiece of the book. The work comes from the album called "Album A", Reprinted from the book in 20 copies. Each album contains, like the book, 16 prints but they have been printed with wide margins and unlike the prints in the book, they are all signed or monogrammed by the artists. The album we have was the property of the publisher Louis BRODER. It stands out from the others because it is enriched in addition to the 16 wide-margined illustrations of many other prints (including this work by Pablo Picasso) collected by the publisher throughout his collaboration with the artists on this book. 

Dimensions : 18 x 17 cm

Condition : Good

Provenance : Collection Genevieve et Jean Paul Kahn

Expert's comment : Placed as the frontispiece of the book Tribute to Paul Eluard "a poem in each book", this drypoint in black by Pablo Picasso has as its subject the woman, a theme dear to the poet and to the surrealists who advocate mad love. Pablo Picasso and Eluard met in 1935 through Dora Maar. They will become faithful friends having for each other a real admiration.

The Album and the Book :

Explanatory photo 1: Comparison between Album A offprint of "a poem in each book" printed in 20 copies and the book "a poem in each book" printed in 120 copies.
Explanatory photo 2: Album A offprint of 20 copies having belonged to the publisher Louis Broder contained in a gray canvas box with a label stuck on the back and the first cover.
Explanatory photo 3: Proof of printing of Album A which indicates the maximum number of copies of prints contained in total in the 20 albums as well as the names of the artists. It is annotated in red pencil "Editor's copy B" because it belonged to Louis Broder.
Explanatory photo 4: Original print signed and printed with wide margins by Pablo Picasso, contained in album A
Explanatory photo 5: Original print signed and printed with large margins by Max Ernst, contained in album A
Explanatory photo 6: Book "a poem in each book" printed in 120 copies, containing the 16 prints unsigned by the artists (signatures on the proof of printing of the book)
Explanatory photo 7: Print by Pablo Picasso on double page, unsigned contained in the book "a poem in each book"
Explanatory photo 8: Print by Max Ernst unsigned contained in the book "a poem in each book"

To discover in pictures the history of Album A and the rare prints it contains, click on the video below !

Biography of the artist : Born in 1881 in Malaga, Pablo Picasso is a true artistic prodigy. At the age of 15, he joined the Barcelona art school and at only nineteen, he represented Spain at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. Known for his blue period and his pink period which will invade his paintings, it is nevertheless his work "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon", in total rupture with the codes of the time, which will agitate the spirits and will modify the rules of creation. 20th century art. He abandoned cubism in 1915 for more classic portraits, until the Spanish Civil War, when he painted his largest painting: "Guernica". He died in 1973, having marked the History of Art forever. Today, his work is still ubiquitous in major modern art collections.​

History of the book and the album: We advise you to read our blog "THE ALBUM OF LOUIS BRODER: A LEGENDARY PORTFOLIO".

About Paul ELUARD : We advise you to read our blog "PAUL ELUARD: THE CHOSEN ONE OF THE ART".