Literature

Bloch, Georges. Pablo Picasso: Catalogue de l'Œuvre Gravé et Lithographié, Vol. IV. Bern: Kornfeld & Klipstein, 1968–1979. (Bloch 1152)

Geiser, Bernhard and Brigitte Baer. Picasso: Peintre-Graveur, Catalogue Raisonné de l'Œuvre Gravé et des Monotypes, Vol. V. Bern: Kornfeld, 1986–1996. (Baer 1338)

Wofsy, Alan. The Picasso Project: The Complete Linocuts, 1939–1968. (L.162)

Karshan, Donald. Picasso Linocuts 1958–1963. Tudor Publishing. (No. 99)

Bolliger, Hans. Picasso: Recent Etchings, Lithographs and Linoleum Cuts. p.127.

Picasso Linoleum Cuts: The Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kramer Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, No.104.

Printed by

Arnéra, Vallauris, France

Published by

Le Patriote, Nice

Dimensions

Image: 64 × 53 cm (25¼ × 20¾ in.)

Sheet: 75 × 62 cm (29½ × 24½ in.)

Condition

A fine impression with vibrant colours, strong registration and full margins. Signed in pencil by the artist. In very good condition.

Catalogue Note

Executed in 1963, Le Vieux Roi is one of the masterpieces of Picasso's late linocut production and a superb demonstration of the revolutionary printmaking techniques he developed in collaboration with master printer Hidalgo Arnéra in Vallauris. During this period Picasso transformed the status of the linocut from a largely commercial printing medium into one capable of extraordinary artistic sophistication.

The composition presents the head of an aged king—or perhaps a court fool—whose animated features are rendered with remarkable vitality. Brilliant passages of blue, pink, yellow and ochre combine with bold black outlines to create a face that is simultaneously regal, humorous and deeply human. The spiralling eyes, broad smile and freely drawn crown animate the image with an infectious energy, while the expressive contours reveal the confidence and spontaneity characteristic of Picasso's late style.

Although the subject may initially appear playful, the figure belongs to Picasso's recurring exploration of kings, musketeers, jesters and ageing protagonists that occupied much of his final decade. These theatrical characters allowed the artist to reflect upon authority, performance, wisdom and the passage of time, often with a blend of humour and gentle irony.

Technically, the print is a remarkable achievement. The precise registration of multiple colour blocks creates luminous overlapping passages while preserving the freshness and immediacy of the carved line. The complexity of the printing process makes successful impressions particularly desirable, and the present example demonstrates the exceptional craftsmanship for which the Arnéra workshop became renowned.

Issued in a relatively small edition of 160 impressions, Le Vieux Roi is widely regarded as one of Picasso's most successful colour linocuts. Combining technical innovation with exuberant design and psychological richness, it stands among the defining achievements of his late graphic oeuvre.