Picador II
Pablo Picasso
Picador II
lithograph
March 6, 1961/April 21, 1961
An original Pablo Picasso lithograph .
March 6, 1961/April 21, 1961
Original lithograph printed in twenty-four colors on wove paper.
Dated on the stone lower left 6.3.61.II and 21.4.61.
A superb impression of the definitive state, from the edition published in the book Picasso: Toreros, text by Jaime Sabartés (apart from the pencil signed and numbered edition of 50). Published by André Sauret, Monte-Carlo, and George Braziller, New York; printed by Atelier Fernand Mourlot, Paris.
Catalog: Bloch 1017; Mourlot 350; Cramer 113.IV
Image Size: 8 ¼ x 10 ¾ inches
Sheet Size: 9 5/8 x 12 3/8 inches
When I visited him at Vauvenargues, on April 21st, I gave to Picasso the four lithos of his work; at the Publisher’s request, I asked our friend, without much hope, if he would agree to put some colours on the plates. The black eyes glanced at me and he said: “Now then! You want some colour, Mourlot . . .” suspense. “Jacqueline, show them up to the house . . .” My wife accompanied me and we then followed our hostess. The monumental staircase leads us to the rooms, here is the bath-room, immense, with a large green painted garden bench, a table and iron chairs; around the washstands a large decoration of leaves and flowers painted on the wall by the master of the house. We continue the visit and finally come back to the studio, where we are invited to come in. “You wanted some colour . . . here it is!” The picador has been decorated with quite a lot of wax pencils. I take a look at the pencil box: twenty-four colors, all have been utilized . . . Back at the printing works, it has been necessary to make a tracing of each colour spot and take the exact tint before transferring this drawing to the stone; it is possible, although difficult, to obtain a good result with these waxen colours substituted for the lithographic crayon. We have succeeded and have thus obtained this lithograph in twenty-four colours, plus the black. I believe that this time, it was our good friend Picasso who was somewhat astonished.
Fernand Mourlot (Picasso’s lithographer)
