Connoisseur’s collection of Picasso works come to Sotheby’s

A collection of Picasso artworks spanning his remarkably varied career will be offered by Sotheby’s next month.

The collection, entitled ‘Picasso Through the Eyes of a Connoisseur’, will feature more than 125 etchings, linoleum cuts, paintings, sculptures, lithographs and ceramics dating from the 1920s through to the 1970s.

The sales begin on November 3, with a dedicated sale of over 100 Picasso works acquired over many years by a single private collector. Inspired by the acquisition of a single work – the 1962 linoleum cut ‘Grande Tête de Femme’ - this collector set out to build a comprehensive study of Picasso’s work across the variety of mediums he loved to work in.

Leading the sale is a set of eight prints dating from 1949 entitled ‘Femme Aux Cheveux Verts’ which offers an important glimpse into Picasso’s artistic methods.

Each print shows the image in a different state, ranging from black and white to colour, and from basic outlines to a more developed final version. Together they provide a fascinating insight into how he used the lithographic process to achieve his results. The full set, which depicts his lover and muse Françoise Gilot, has an estimated value of $400,000-$600,000.

Further notable prints on offer include the 1958 lithograph ‘Portrait de Jeune Fille, D'apres Cranach le Jeune, II’ estimated at $400,000-$600,000; ‘Portrait de Femme au Chapeau a Pompons et au Corsage Imprimé’, dating from 1962 and valued at $400,000-$600,000; and the 1962 linoleum cut ‘Nature Morte au Verre Sous la Lampe’ estimated at $200,000-$300,000.

The auction also includes work in several different mediums. A set of gold plates dating from the 1950s, each valued at up to $250,000, are followed by a complete set of 18 gold medallions created in 1956, each bearing Picasso designs and stamped with his signature, estimated at $300,000-$500,000.

There’s also a ceramic vase entitled ‘Tripode’, made in 1951 and valued at $80,000-$120,000, along with three gold statuettes dating from 1960-61 priced at $50,000-$80,000.

Following the auction on November 3 will be a selection of paintings and drawings included in the Impressionist and Modern Art Evening and Day sales on November 4 and 5. Leading these lots will be the 1969 painting ‘Homme Assis’ valued at $8-$12 million, along with ‘Les Enfants’ estimated at $5-$7 million and ‘Tête D'homme À La Pipe’ estimated at $4-$6 million.