Pablo Picasso Artwork Details

 

 

Detailed Description

Size: Image size : 210 x 265 mms ; Paper size : 40.5 x 32.5 cms
Reference: B.Baer (Volume VI) 1831.Bb2 , Louis Leiris II No 334
Edition: One of only 17 artists proofs , aside from the edition of 50
Published by: Gallerie Louis Leiris, 1969.

Note 1: This etching is number 334 of the so called 347 series made by Picasso at the grand old age of 87. Despite the dotage of the artist the works are dynamic and amusing - his longevity has taken away none of his creativity. In a 6 month period the artist created 347 etchings - sometimes doing several in the course of a single day. All are dated, signed and numbered.

Note 2: In all probability this etching depicts the story from the Old Testament of David and Bathsheba which is told in the Book of Samuel. The king, while walking on the roof of his house, saw Bathsheba, who was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, taking a bath. He immediately desired her. David then committed adultery with her and she conceived. In an effort to cover up his sin, David summoned Uriah from the army (with whom he was on campaign) in the hopes that Uriah would sleep with Bathsheba, and thus the child could be passed off as his. However, Uriah was unwilling to violate the ancient kingdom rule applying to warriors in active service and rather than go home to his own bed, he preferred to remain with the palace troops. After repeated efforts to get Uriah to lie with Bathsheba, the king gave the order to his general, Joab, that Uriah should be abandoned during battle, and left to the hands of the enemy to die. Ironically, David had Uriah himself unknowingly carry the message that ordered his death. After Uriah had died, David made the now widowed Bathsheba his wife. David's action, however, was displeasing to the Lord, who accordingly sent Nathan the prophet to reprove the king. After relating the parable of the rich man who took away the one little ewe lamb of his poor neighbour (II Samuel 12:1-6), and exciting the king's anger against the unrighteous act, the prophet applied the case directly to David's action with regard to Bathsheba. The king at once confessed his sin and expressed sincere repentance. Bathsheba's child by David was afflicted with a severe illness and died at a few days old, which the king accepted as his punishment. However, Nathan also noted that David's house would be cursed with turmoil because of this murder. This came to pass years later when one of David's much-loved sons, Absalom, led an insurrection that plunged the kingdom into civil war. Moreover, to manifest his claim to be the new King, Absalom had sex in public with ten of his father's concubines - which could be considered a direct, tenfold Divine retribution for David's taking away the woman of another man. Absalom also came to a bad (an probably deserved) end. In David's old age Bathsheba secured the succession of her son Solomon instead of David's eldest surviving son, Adonijah. (I Kings 1:11-31).

Note 3: The copper for this work still exists.
Condition: In very good condition
Provenance:
1) Pablo Picasso;
2) Marina Picasso collection with her oval stamp on verso. Marina Picasso was the daughter of Picasso’s son Paulo and inherited a large part of her Grandfather’s estate. Over the course of many years she has sold off many of her works and used the money to benefit deprived children all over the world. This piece comes with a most excellent provenance.
Printed by: Crommelynck Freres, France