Pablo Picasso

Clovis Sagot, Paris (a gift from the artist)
Galerie Knoedler, New York
Private collection, Canada (acquired from the above in 1960)
Thence by descent to the present owner

Toronto, The Morris Gallery, Toronto's Picassos, 1972, no. 7, illustrated in the catalogue
Toronto, Art Gallery of Ontario, Picasso at Large in Toronto Collections, 1988, no. 18

Christian Zervos, Pablo Picasso, Œuvres de 1892-1902, Paris, 1969, vol. XXI, no. 162, illustrated pl. 64
John Richardson, A Life of Picasso, New York, 1991, vol. I, illustrated p. 354

Executed on buff-coloured wove paper, not laid down, hinged to the mount at the top two corners, the edges remain visible when framed. There are five small repaired paper losses along the top edge, the largest 0.5cm. by 1cm., a 5cm. long repaired tear running down from the right of the top edge, and a 2cm. repaired tear to the lower right edge. There is a light 3cm. crease to the lower right edge, and a light crease running from the lower left edge to the centre of the bottom edge. Apart from some light overmount staining, mainly to the 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. 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."

This simple early study of a Torreador is dedicated, perhaps somewhat ironically, to the art dealer Clovis Sagot. Sagot owned the Galerie du Vingtieme Siecle in a former pharmacy in 46 rue Laffitte, and quickly gained a reputation for exploiting the penniless young artists he encountered in Montmartre. Picasso was later to recall him as 'a hard man, very hard, almost a usurer', yet at the time he had been one of the few buyers with a genuine feel for avant garde art. His patronage helped promote Cubism, and in terms of Picasso's career, it was Sagot who first brought Picasso to Gertrude Stein's attention.