An outstanding sculpture from the later career of Picasso went unsold at Christie's on November 4, 2013. It is now listed by Sotheby's at lot 37, estimated £ 5M, on February 3 in London.
There is no doubt that it is the same copy because the only other maquette in metal from the same project is not available on the market and both sales described a provenance through Marina Picasso.
I copy below my previous discussion :
In 1963, a new skyscraper is planned in Chicago: the Civic Center. The architects decide to invite Picasso to design a monumental sculpture that will be installed on the ground in front of the building.
Picasso accepts. Since only a few years, he has solved the difficult problem of controlling the proportions in very large sculptures. Socially, he is also interested in that idea and he will donate this work to the city of Chicago shortly before the inauguration.
In his workshop in Mougins, Picasso takes seriously the project with all its difficulties, including the fact that the work will be public, seen by everyone and important for his artistic reputation.
By realizing a head of Jacqueline, he selects a theme that came much earlier in his career: the face with a very long nose of the woman standing on the right in the Demoiselles d'Avignon, inspired indeed by Ngil masks.
In 1964, he made two models in cut and welded steel. One of them is sent to Chicago. He keeps the other specimen. This maquette 105 cm high is now coming for sale.
The full size Chicago sculpture, unveiled in 1967, is 20 m high, one-tenth of the total height of the building. The public admires. When seen strictly in profile, it is a woman's head, but Jacqueline's hair may be interpreted as the wings of a large bird in a striking three-dimensional synthesis of the art of Picasso.
There is no doubt that it is the same copy because the only other maquette in metal from the same project is not available on the market and both sales described a provenance through Marina Picasso.
I copy below my previous discussion :
In 1963, a new skyscraper is planned in Chicago: the Civic Center. The architects decide to invite Picasso to design a monumental sculpture that will be installed on the ground in front of the building.
Picasso accepts. Since only a few years, he has solved the difficult problem of controlling the proportions in very large sculptures. Socially, he is also interested in that idea and he will donate this work to the city of Chicago shortly before the inauguration.
In his workshop in Mougins, Picasso takes seriously the project with all its difficulties, including the fact that the work will be public, seen by everyone and important for his artistic reputation.
By realizing a head of Jacqueline, he selects a theme that came much earlier in his career: the face with a very long nose of the woman standing on the right in the Demoiselles d'Avignon, inspired indeed by Ngil masks.
In 1964, he made two models in cut and welded steel. One of them is sent to Chicago. He keeps the other specimen. This maquette 105 cm high is now coming for sale.
The full size Chicago sculpture, unveiled in 1967, is 20 m high, one-tenth of the total height of the building. The public admires. When seen strictly in profile, it is a woman's head, but Jacqueline's hair may be interpreted as the wings of a large bird in a striking three-dimensional synthesis of the art of Picasso.
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