Pablo Picasso

Sala Gaspar, Barcelona
Private Collection (sale: Christie's, London, 10th December 1997, lot 381)
Purchased at the above sale by the late owner and thence by descent

Paris, Galerie Louise Leiris, Dessins 1966-1967, 1968, no. 24

René Char & Charles Feld, Picasso. Dessins 27.3.66 - 15.3.68, Paris, 1969, no. 179, illustrated in colour n.p.
Christian Zervos, Pablo Picasso, œuvres de 1967 et 1968, Paris, 1973, vol. XXVII, no. 498, illustrated pl. 186
The Picasso Project, Picasso's Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Sculpture. The Sixties II, 1964-1967, San Francisco, 2002, no. 67-243, illustrated p. 356

Executed on cream laid paper, not laid down, attached to the mount at all four corners, floating in the mount. All four edges are deckled. There is a small fold to the lower right corner, intrinsic to the support, and some minor creases to the upper right corner and towards the centre of the left edge. There appear to be no signs of retouching visible under UV light. Apart from some light time staining to the extreme edges and some discolouration around the areas of thicker paint, this work is in overall very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Executed in 1967, Tête de mousquetaire is a wonderful example of the powerful and incredibly self-reflective portraits Picasso produced towards the end of his lifetime. His iconography during this period was evermore focused on the character of the heroic male figure, such as his representations of the musketeer, the harlequin, the matador, the toreador and ultimately, the painter. The presence of Picasso's alter egos in his iconography imbues his work with a momentous significance. These portraits of indistinct and anonymous masculine figures, each portrayed in dominant and powerful roles, act very effectively as reflections into the artist's own emotional and psychological spirit. The present work elegantly depicts the figure of the musketeer, one of Picasso's preferred subjects. Towards the end of his life, the image of the musketeer allowed Picasso to explore a sprit of a past age and delve into his past, touching upon his Spanish heritage as well as the youthful vigour of his earlier years. Discussing Picasso's depictions of musketeers, Marie-Laure Bernadac observed: 'If woman was depicted in all her aspects in Picasso's art, man always appeared in disguise or in a specific role, the painter at work or the musketeer. In 1966, a new and final character emerged in Picasso's iconography and dominated his last period to the point of becoming its emblem. This was the Golden Age  gentleman, a half-Spanish, half-Dutch musketeer dressed in richly adorned clothing complete with ruffs [...] All of these musketeers are men in disguise, romantic gentlemen, virile and arrogant soldiers, vainglorious and ridiculous despite their haughtiness' (M.L. Bernadac in The Ultimate Picasso, New York, 2000, p. 455).

In the present work, the depiction is pared down to its essential and boldest elements, such as the elegant ruff collar or the playful yet regal moustache and beard. These simple elements perfectly and succinctly illustrate the core of the character at hand. Displaying the true mastery of his medium, the artist has greatly achieved a heady sense of drama and playfulness with great economy of means, whereby no gesture or expression is spared. Tête de mousquetaire remains a clear demonstration of Picasso's incredibly unique and rare talent as an artist. The energy that results from his free and spontaneous style clearly reflects the passion Picasso maintained into his later years.

Comp: 342L10005_COMP_5MMPV
Picasso at Notre Dame de Vie in Mougins, 1967