Pablo Picasso

Lithograph, 1945, a proof aside from the edition of 50, published by Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris, on wove paper, framed

The full sheet, a small triangular scratch in the upper margin, a diagonal backed tear and small nick at upper right sheet edge, occasional foxing and slight creasing in margins, pale paper discoloration, glued to the backboard along sheet edges verso, framed.
"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."

During the post-war period Picasso gave this print to his good friends Georges Sadoul, the French journalist and cinema writer, and his wife Ruta. Georges hung it in his office, next to his desk, considering it to be a portrait of a young survivor of the concentration camps who had returned to France. However, the work has also been variously interpreted as Picasso’s nostalgic memory of himself as a young boy or an idealised portrait of a young member of the Resistance.