Description:

Pablo Picasso
Cannes, France, June 20, 1960
Pablo Picasso PSA GEM MT 10 Rare ALS On "Peace" Postcard
ALS
A color postcard of Pablo Picasso's celebrated artwork "La Paix" [Peace], 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. June 20, 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. The postcard shows a few faint ink impressions, and some isolated wrinkling, else very good and very legible. The actual size of the postcard is 4.125" x 5.875" while the slab measures 6.625" x 10.125."

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, with unchanged spelling and punctuation:

Transcribed in full:

"'La Californie'
Cannes A.M.
le 20.6.60

Mon cher Max

Je vous envoi deux lettres des contributions.

Comment allez vous? Je pense tres souvent à vous.

Jacqueline va mieux. Les enfants vont arriver dans quelques jours.

Nous vous envoyons nos meilleurs souvenirs. Je vous embrasse.

votre Picasso."

Translated in full:

"'The California'
Cannes A.M. [Alpes-Maritimes]
20th June 1960

My dear Max

I send to you two contributions letters.

How are you? I think often of you.

Jacqueline is better. The children are going to arrive in a few days.

We send you our best regards. I embrace you.

your
Picasso."

The front of the color postcard features a reproduction of Picasso's color lithograph "Paix" (1958), depicting two sets of hands symbolically exchanging a bouquet of brightly colored flowers. Picasso's lithograph was adapted as a poster to advertise a peace conference which convened in Stockholm, Sweden from July 16-22, 1958.

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.

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. Picasso mentions his second wife Jacqueline Roque (1927-1986) in this letter; "the children" probably referred to the youngest of Picasso's four children, Claude and Paloma, born in 1947 and 1949 respectively.

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: 6.625" x 10.125"
  • Medium: ALS

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