Description:

Pablo Picasso
Cannes, France, June 2, 1960
Pablo Picasso PSA GEM MT 10 Rare ALS Disputing an Artwork is His & Mentioning Jacqueline, Model of "Bust of a Seated Woman"
ALS

A 1p autograph letter in French signed by Spanish Modern artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) as "Picasso" at bottom. June 2, 1960. Written at Villa La Californie, Picasso's home and artist's studio in Cannes, France from 1955-1961. Encapsulated and PSA/DNA certified and graded GEM MT 10. Boldly inscribed in blue ink on a watermarked paper sheet. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds and a few extra wrinkles, else near fine and very legible. The actual size of the letter is 10.5" x 8.25" while the slab measures 13.25" x 9.75."

Picasso addressed this letter to Max Pellequer (before 1903 - after 1973), a close friend who has been called the artist's "finance minister" by one art historian. It is a testament to Picasso's intimacy with Pellequer (the two were friends between 1914 and the early 1970s) that the artist penned an entire autograph letter signed to him instead of relegating this task to Jaime Sabartés, Picasso's private secretary and later biographer. 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 transcript in French and the English translation. The spelling is original but the punctuation has been silently added to improve clarity:

Transcribed in full:

"'La Californie'
Cannes A.M.
le 2.6.60.

Mon cher Max

Voici les 2 cheques

La photo (n'est pas une oeuvre de moi.)

Jacqueline va mieux.

Nous vous envoyons nos meilleurs souvenirs.

Je vous embrasse

Picasso."

Translated in full:

"'La Californie'
Cannes A.M. [Alpes-Maritimes]
2.6.60.

My dear Max

Here are the 2 checks

The photo isn't a work of mine.

Jacqueline is better.

We send you our best remembrances.

I embrace you

Picasso."

Picasso's letter is enhanced by several wonderful graphic elements, which blur the line between missive and artwork. The "2" found on line 5 is larger than the surrounding text, and Picasso has outlined it several times to make it bold. Picasso was inspired by a word cross-out on line 6 to make two sets of half-circular brackets surrounding the last clause of a sentence. These parentheses do not meet any grammatical convention, but instead seem to fulfill Picasso's need for graphic design. In addition, Picasso liberally used underlining throughout the letter, not only to divide it into sections, but also to emphasize important ideas or statements, such as his name.

Picasso answered a question posed by correspondent Max Pellequer as to whether a piece of artwork with his. In this case, it was not. This speaks to Picasso's international celebrity as an artist at this point of his career, as well as to the sheer volume of artwork he created, and doubtless to the number of imitators he inspired.

The letter mentions Jacqueline Roque (1926-1986), Picasso's longtime partner and his second wife after March 1961. Jacqueline was featured in more of Picasso's artwork than any of Picasso's previous romantic partners or love interests. From his first portrait of her in early June 1954, until his death in April 1973, Picasso depicted Jacqueline in more than 400 artworks. Art historians typically point to Jacqueline's dark beauty and melancholy disposition as the main drivers of Picasso's fascination with her. She was more than 45 years younger than the septuagenarian Picasso, and more importantly, her black hair and classically regular features made her an ideal "Mediterranean" subject.

Picasso had painted one of these Jacqueline portraits less than one month earlier. He worked on "Buste de Femme Assise (Jacqueline Roque)" ["Bust of a Seated Woman (Jacqueline Roque)"] from April 2 - May 10, 1960. The painting depicted a bare-breasted Jacqueline, with her black hair swept up into a jaunty ponytail, seated in a green armchair. The two planes of her face are divided into frontal and lateral portraits, where the right portion of her face consists of her right profile. The oil on canvas has been in the collection of the Musée Unterlinden in Colmar, Alsace, France since its acquisition in 1967.

Much of Picasso's correspondence with Pellequer includes financial content like this one, discussing Picasso's tax assessments and tax payments, his contributions to benefit funds, his insurance payments, and his residency status. Personal remarks that Picasso makes in these letters relate to his family, acquaintances, and current artistic projects.

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: slabbed: 13.25" x 9.75"
  • Medium: ALS

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