Pablo Picasso

Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris
Waddington Galleries, London
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2002

Tokyo, Isetan Museum of Art, Picasso, 1981, no. 78, illustrated in the catalogue
London, Waddington Galleries, Picasso/Matisse Works on Paper, 1997, no. 8, illustrated in colour in the catalogue (titled Jeune homme à l'aigle et cavalier)

René Char & Charles Feld, Picasso, dessins 27.3.66 - 15.3.68, Paris, 1969, no. 136, illustrated
Christian Zervos, Pablo Picasso, oeuvres de 1967 et 1968, Paris, 1973, vol. 27, no. 473, illustrated pl. 183
The Picasso Project, Picasso's Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Sculpture. The Sixties II, 1964-1967, San Francisco, 2002, no. 67-093, illustrated p. 293

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, attached to the mount at all four corners and at the centre of each edge, floating in the mount. Apart from a thin line of very light staining to the upper, left and right edges, possibly caused by a previous mount, this work is in very good condition. Colours: In comparison with the printed catalogue illustration, the colours are overall fairly accurate, although the paper has a slightly more cream tonality in the original.
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In March 1967 Picasso executed several drawings featuring animals such as an eagle, a donkey and a horse, alongside human figures, which are often depicted in the nude. A joyful, colourful composition executed in strong primary crayons, the present work derives its imagery from ancient and Biblical sources. The image of a young man on a donkey is usually associated with the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, combining symbols of humbleness and victory. The iconography surrounding the boy on the left, on the other hand, is associated with ancient Rome. He is wearing a laurel wreath, both a mark of Roman Emperors and a sign of victory for military commanders, and is holding an eagle – one of the most important insignia of the ancient Roman legion and a universal symbol of power.

 

In choosing this iconography, Picasso anchors himself in a long tradition of depicting ancient and Christian motifs, which dominated Western art from antiquity through Renaissance and Old Master painters. As is typical of Picasso's rebellious character and his sense of wit, he does not simply illustrate these themes; rather, he interprets them from a subversive or a comical angle. In the present work, he depicts the two male figures as 'adolescents', and renders the boys and the animals in a manner that evokes a children's play rather than a serious historical or religious theme. This remarkable, colourful work therefore combines Picasso's unique humour with the assured draughtsmanship that characterised his oeuvre.