Picasso Through the Eyes of a Connoisseur, a collection of over 125 etchings, linoleum cuts, paintings, sculptures, lithographs and ceramics by one of the most influential artists of the 20th century will be offered at Sotheby’s auction in November. The offerings begin with a single owner sale of Prints on 3 November 2014 that presents a comprehensive view of Pablo Picasso’s entire career – from 1923 Le Collier to works from the 1970s – with estimates ranging from a few thousand to $600,000. Led by a number of Picasso’s most celebrated works, including Portrait de Femme au Chapeau a Pompons et au Corsage Imprime from 1962 (est. $400/600,000) and Portrait de Jeune Fille d’après Cranach le Jeune, II (est. $400/600,000) from 1958, the breadth of the collection illustrates the artist’s wide ranging iconography.
Other highlights of the sale include Femme aux Cheveux Verts, a set ofeight lithographs from 1949 depicting Françoise Gilot, Picasso’s lover and muse, in various phases – lacking hair, lacking a face, lacking color (est. $400/600,000). The collection also reveals Picasso’s mastery of three dimensional media, including a 23 karat gold plate from 1956 entitled Jacqueline au Chevalet (est. $150/250,000). Ceramics in the collection range from $3,000 to $250,000 offering plates, statuettes, plaques and vases also including Personnages et Têtes from 1954 (est. $80/120,000) and a 23 carat gold figure entitled Joueur de Cymbale from 1960 (est. $50/80,000).
A painting by Picasso will be offered in the Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale on 4 November 2014. Depicting Picasso’s lover and “golden muse,” Femme au Col de Fourrure (Marie-Thérèse) from 1937 is estimated at $4/6 million.
Picasso drawings, including Harlequin et Femme Nue from 1969 (est. $250/350,000) and Le Retournant de la Paix from 1962 (est. $70/90,000) will be offered in Impressionist & Modern Art Day Sale on 5 November 2014. Two additional works from the collection, Henri Matisse’s Nu Allongée (est. $150/250,000) dated 1921 and L’écuyère au Cheval Blanc (est. $600/800,000) by Marc Chagall from 1927, will also be included in the Day Sale.
