PABLO PICASSO | Étude pour Lysistrata

Estate of the Artist
Marina Picasso (the artist's granddaughter, by descent from the above; sale: Sotheby's, New York, 18th May 2017, lot 99)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Jerusalem, The Israel Museum, Picasso the Draughtsman, 103 Works from the Marina Picasso Collection, 1993, no. 64

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, hinged to the mount in two places along the upper edge and floating in its mount. The right and lower edges are deckled. There is a minor tear to the lower right corner with associated paper loss measuring 0.5cm. The sheet is gently undulating. There is a faint horizontal line running parallel to the lower edge, approx. 1.5cm. from the lower edge, which is probably the result of a flattened crease. This work is in very 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."

In 1934, Picasso was commissioned by George Macey, founder of the Limited Editions Club, to illustrate a special edition of Aristophanes’ comedy Lysistrata. The Greek play centres around a group of women who pledge to withhold sex from their husbands in a bid to end the Peloponnesian War. Picasso’s clarity of form and line, combined with the expressive sensuality of his drawings, complement the ancient classical text and offer a prescient backdrop to the artist’s later anti-war works. Picasso’s Étude pour Lysistrata portrays a poignant tableau through the artful division of the composition. The left half of the work depicts the men of Sparta armed and at council whilst the right half portrays the heroine Lysistrata rallying support from the women. These opposing methods of combat are juxtaposed to capture the drama’s comedic crux. The women’s raised arms powerfully counter the pointed and suggestively phallic weaponry of the men.

The completed illustrated book for which the study was intended comprises of six original etchings and thirty-four block reproductions after Picasso’s drawings.



Claude Picasso has confirmed the authenticity of this work.