Pablo Picasso

Oslo, Galleri Haaken, Picasso: Peintures - Sculptures - Dessins, 2004, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Christian Zervos, Pablo Picasso, Œuvres de 1969, Paris, 1976, vol. XXXI, no. 145, illustrated pl. 48
The Picasso Project, Picasso's Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Sculpture. The Sixties III, 1968-1969, San Francisco, 2003, no. 69-146, illustrated p. 143

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, attached to the mount at the top two corners, floating in the mount. All four edges are uneven, with some small intermittent nicks, losses and minor tears. Apart from some light studio dirt, this work is in very good condition. Colours: overall fairly accurate although the paper tone is slightly warmer in the original.
"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."

The structure of this work resembles Picasso's numerous variations on the theme of the artist and his model, with the aging harlequin juxtaposed with a nude, but in this work the theme is made less explicit by the absence of a canvas which is surplanted at the centre of work by another male head. The two male figures are stock types from Picasso's work of this period, the harlequin and the musketeer. The latter was a symbol of Rembrandt, whose work and legacy became an important concern for the artist as Picasso became increasingly anxious about his place in the artistic canon. For the elderly Picasso, this cast of psychological avatars became a means of projecting different aspects of his identity and expressing ideas and influences that were playing on his mind.