‡Pablo Picasso (Spanish 1881-1973) Portrait of Paloma

‡Pablo Picasso (Spanish 1881-1973)

Portrait of Paloma, Christmas 1952,

Picasso's daughter

Signed in pencil, numbered 7 in pencil from the edition of 50 (5 proofs were also issued)

Chalk drawn lithograph in black ink

Drawn on zinc at Vallauris December 24th 1952, edition printed at the Atelier Mourlot, Paris 1953

57 x 47cm (sheet size); 47 x 37.5cm (to mount)

In this study Paloma is 3½ years old. Her mother was Françoise Gilot, who Picasso met in 1943 when she was 21 and he was 61. They had two children together, Claude in 1947 and Paloma in 1949. She left Picasso in 1953. This sensitive portrait was drawn when Picasso returned for Christmas to Vallurais in 1952 and is a delightful and very personal example of his lithography from this period, perhaps his best period in this medium.

Provenance:

William Weston Gallery, London

The Collection of Dr. Peter Mangold

Literature:

Mourlot Picasso Lithographs no. 230

Hatje-Rau Picasso Lithographs no. 564

Bloch Picasso Catalogue No. 728