Pablo Picasso

Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris
Private Collection, Spain (acquired from the above and sold: Sotheby's, London, June 26, 2008, lot 199)
Acquired at the above sale

Christian Zervos, Pablo Picasso, Oeuvres de 1946 à 1953, vol. XV, Paris, 1965, no. 83, illustrated pl. 50
The Picasso Project, ed., Picasso's Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Sculpture. Liberation and Post-War Years, 1944-1949, San Francisco, 2000, no. 48-017, illustrated p. 199

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down. All four edges are deckled. There are minor nicks and tears to the top and bottom edges. There are some small strips of tape to the reverse of the top edge, possibly from previous mounting. Apart from some light surface dirt, mainly to the upper edges, this work is in 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In 1946, Picasso painted the quintessential portrait of his then lover, Françoise Gilot, in Femme fleur en gris (see fig. 1). The artist told Françoise, when speaking of the work, “You’re growing like a plant… I’ve never felt compelled to portray anyone else this way" (Françoise Gilot, Life with Picasso, New York, 1964, p. 113).

Executed just two years later, Fleurs belongs to a series of drawings and paintings by Picasso that explored the idea of distilling the human figure into its basic elements to capture the essence of the individual depicted. The engaging, anthropomorphic still life in Fleurs seems to suggest a portrait of Picasso and Gilot, with the silhouette of the male and female plants facing each other in a conversant posture.

The fluid decorative line of the drawing, reduced means and simplified composition also suggest Picasso’s continuing dialogue with the artist Henri Matisse. During these post-war years, the artists lived near each other in the South of France and were intensely aware of each other’s artistic investigations and innovations.