Christie’s will feature Picasso’s Femme accroupie (Jacqueline) in its upcoming Impressionist and Modern Art evening sale in New York.
The joyous composition was one of three full size canvases Picasso painted on the same day (October 8, 1954) in a fit of exuberance.
Picasso painted Jacqueline Roque more than any of his other muses
He had met Jacqueline Roque (46 years his junior) the year before and been instantly smitten. When he began work on these October paintings, the pair had recently moved in together.
Jessica Fertig, impressionist and modern art expert at Christie’s New York, said: “So much of Picasso’s career can be traced through the women in his life; the loves and what they inspired in him artistically.
“Here he is in a new relationship, and the colour and light and vibrancy you see in this painting reflects the happiness he was feeling.
“By presenting Jacqueline on this grand scale, he sets her apart, introducing her to the world as the woman who would carry him through the rest of his artistic career. It’s a joyful representation of this new muse, this new love who had reinvigorated the artist.”
This work was one of Picasso’s favourites and formed part of his personal collection.
Jacqueline would be Picasso’s last muse. He would paint her more than any of the other women with whom he was involved.
The work is expected to sell for around $20m-30m in the November 13 sale.
We’re selling an extraordinary piece of Picasso memorabilia from his later years.
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