Pablo Picasso

Luis de Góngora y Argote, Vingt Poèmes, Les Grands Peintres modernes et le Livre, Paris, 1948

Details

Pablo Picasso
Luis de Góngora y Argote, Vingt Poèmes, Les Grands Peintres modernes et le Livre, Paris, 1948
etchings with aquatint, 1947-1948, on Marais wove paper, watermark Gongora designed by the artist, title, poems, justification and the complete set of 41 etchings, of which 21 (including title) hors-text and 20 en-text, copy number 60 from the edition of 235 (the total edition was 275), the full sheets as published, Soneto XVIII with a short tear at the lower right sheet corner, otherwise generally in very good condition, in pale green Auvergne paper wrappers with author's name in orange on front, bound in elaborate russet crushed morocco with central in-laid panel of shagreen on both covers, the upper cover with multi-colour morocco alphabet spelling the title, maroon morocco onlays on lower cover, title lettered in maroon morocco on-lays and gilt on spine, single gilt fillet flourishes, wide turn-ins with single gilt fillet decoration, deep green goatskin liners, top edge gilt, signed J. Anthoine Legrain on front turn-in and dated 1949 on back turn-in, within russet half morocco chemise, lettered in gilt on spine and patterened paper slipcase with russet morocco lip(book)
overall S. 400 x 285mm

Literature

Bloch 476-516; Cramer books 51

Lot Essay

Picasso greatly admired the sonnets of Luis de Góngora y Argote, a 16th Century poet and friend of El Greco, who had been rediscovered by the Surrealists. Picasso was attracted to Gongora's elaborate metaphors and decorative style and in his series of etchings explores a remarkable combination of calligraphic experimentation, marginalia and portraits.

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