Pablo Picasso

Haldsdurk, Berlin
Oscar Huldchinsky, Berlin
A. Furstenberg, Amsterdam
Wildenstein & Co., London
Sale: Christie's, London, 1st December 1992, lot 135
Galerie Delaive, Amsterdam
Private Collection, Europe (acquired from the above)
Acquired by the present owner in 2005

Executed on cream laid paper, not laid down, attached to thin supportive paper around all four edges, which is hinged to the mount in the top two corners. Apart from some slight time staining and some faint spots of foxing, this work is in very good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the catalogue illustration.
"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 circa 1905-06, towards the end of Picasso's Blue Period, this delicate, vibrantly coloured work depicts Juno, queen of the Roman gods and goddess of matrimony and childbirth. Her royal attire cast aside, she lies naked and asleep under a tree watched over by a peacock, the goddess' sacred symbol. Celebrated for her beauty and guile, she was also jealous and vengeful, using her feminine wiles to punish Jupiter for his infidelity.

Juno is a traditional subject in painting but this classical reference was unusual in Picasso's work of this period. However, the male figure in the upper right of the image shown watching Juno as she sleeps relates to a theme which Picasso addressed in other works during that time: that of the voyeur.  In his Meditation of 1904 (now in The Museum of Modern Art, New York) a male figure, consumed with desire, is watching a sleeping nude similar to the one in the present work (see: Picasso, The Early Years 1892-1906 (exhibition catalogue), National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1997-98, no. 234).