Description:

Pablo Picasso
Cannes, France, July 6, 1956
Pablo Picasso ALS On "Three Dancers" Postcard Addressed to Longtime Collector & Patron Who Hid Works From The Nazis
ALS
A color postcard of Pablo Picasso's celebrated artwork "Three Dancers," inscribed, signed, and dated by the artist on the reverse in a rare instance of an autograph letter signed. The autograph letter in French is signed by Spanish Modern artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) as "your Picasso" near the bottom. July 6, 1956. Cannes, France, and likely written at Villa La Californie, Picasso's home and artist's studio from 1955-1961. The postcard is moderately wrinkled, mostly along edges and corners. Else very good and very legible. 4.125" x 5.75."

Picasso addressed this postcard to Max Pellequer (before 1903 - after 1973), a close friend who has been called the artist's "finance minister" by one art historian. Overall, autograph letters signed by Picasso of any length or content are extremely rare because Picasso was often too busy or too bored to be bothered with correspondence.

Please see below for the full transcript in French and English translation:

In full:

"Mon cher Max
Voici mon telephone
à Cannes - 901 - 82
et voila

votre
Picasso

Cannes le 6 juillet
1956."

Translated in full:

"My dear Max
Here [is] my telephone [number]
at Cannes - 901 - 82
and there you are

your
Picasso

Cannes 6 July
1956."

The front of the color postcard features a reproduction of Picasso's monumental oil on canvas "Three Dancers," completed in 1925 and now in the collection of the Tate Gallery. Besides the tremendous size of the original work (84" x 56"), its striking composition, and its bright color palette, the work is well-known because of the subject matter it is believed to represent: the fatal love triangle between two of Picasso's friends (the Spanish artists Ramon Pichot and Carlos Casagemas), and Germaine Gargallo, Picasso's model and one-time lover. Casagemas attempted to murder Gargallo before killing himself at a Parisian cafe in 1901.

Max Pellequer was a French banker who co-founded and later directed the Banque Nationale du Commerce et de l'Industrie. Over several decades, Pellequer's astute financial advice and shrewd stewardship of Picasso's sprawling assets enabled the artist to become a millionaire. Pellequer was also a kindred spirit, a serious art collector who acquired artwork by artists like Picasso, Degas, Cézanne, Gauguin, Matisse, Miró, Modigliani, Dufy, and others. Picasso purchased works from Pellequer's collection, and the artist designed a bookplate for his beloved friend. During the Nazi occupation of France, Pellequer is believed to have helped save some of Picasso's work by hiding it. This is no small accomplishment when one considers it would have probably been classified as "degenerate" by the Nazis and otherwise destroyed.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 4.125" x 5.75"
  • Medium: ALS

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