Toros Vallauris 1958. by Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973

Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973
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Toros Vallauris 1958.

Original linocut in two colours. 1958. Signed in chalk. Numbered (10) in pencil from the edition of 195 impressions, plus c.25 proofs. Impression from the de-luxe hand-printed edition before the issue as a poster. Cut at Cannes June 1958. Printed at Atelier Arnéra, 1958.
Ref: Baer - Picasso Peintre Graveur no 1049. Bloch no 1282

Excellent impression with strongly contrasted colours. On heavy cream wove Arches paper. Excellent condition.; the faintest traces of old mounting on the reverse. Full margins. Sheet: 31 7/8 x 25 1/2ins. Image overall: 25 5/8 x 20 7/8ins (648x530mm)

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The most important of the linocut compositions which Picasso made in the 1950's inspired by his passion for the bullfight and his involvement with making ceramics at Vallauris.

The emotional drama, the colour, the panache and the clash of strength and power which are the essence of the Bullfight and so much a central element in the Spanish character were a vital element in Picasso's inspiration. In the years from the 1950's onwards, as he found himself increasingly tortured by finding the means of expression or the issues in his art, so the Bullfight also became one of the principal ways that he found release and entertainment.

It was at this period that he also became fascinated by the print medium of linocut. The softness of the block allowed him to work the gouge very freely so that wide variations of emphasis and strength could be put into the cuts. He found that he could make patterns of lines and patterns of surface which were quite unlike any other medium. These patterns could be interwoven around a treatment of form and perspective which permitted him to further explore the idea of the dual viewpoint - as in the interwoven full-face and profile of the Matador above.

Above all Picasso also found that he could use a type of colour through linocut which was totally new, resulting from the way that the block could be cut away to reveal a 'layer' of the image below. So in the 'Matador' above the black main block reveals the glowing orange-yellow below, evoking the quality of the heat of the sun on the shining sand of the bullfight arena.