Grand Profil - Portrait de Francoise. Large Profil. by Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973

Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973
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Grand Profil - Portrait de Francoise. Large Profil.

Original lithograph drawn with pen, rubbed crayon and wash in black ink. 1947. Signed in pencil. Numbered in pencil from the edition of 50 impressions (plus 5 proofs - stone
erased after the edition). Drawn and printed at the studio of Mourlot, Paris April 2 1947. Issued by Picasso 1947.
Ref: Mourlot - Picasso Lithographs no 85

Extremely fine strong impression. On heavy cream wove Arches paper. Excellent original condition; just the slightest suggestion of time toning of the sheet. Worked nearly to the full sheet size, as issued. Full margins including the deckle. Sheet: 19 5/8 x 25 3/4ins. Image: 24
1/8 x 17 1/2ins (614x445mm).

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It was in 1946 and 1947 that Picasso started to make the series of studies of Francoise which are amongst his most beautiful and inventive works in lithography. His relationship with Francoise at this period was one of calm love and family life, and this relaxed atmosphere can certainly be strongly felt in the poetry and lyricism of these wonderful portrait studies.

The invention with which Picasso was approaching his lithography was also stimulated by his life style, and in the portraits can be seen some of his most inspired ideas. For ?Grand Profil?, above, Picasso used a soft rubbed crayon line, pen-work and brush wash, the combination giving a sense of lightness and movement to the whole surface of the image. The elongation of the proportions and the expressive contour-line created by the perfect profile pose are both used to emphasise the sense of quiet poetry and admiration in the portrait.