This drawing was made near the start of Picasso’s artistic thinking about his companion Fernande Olivier. She poses with arms behind her head, which is turned up and out (similar to the central figure in the artist’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, 1907, Museum of Modern Art). Picasso used the large areas of unmarked paper and densely hatched ink lines to explore the mass of her head, flattening and distorting her features along the length of the sheet. The work was once owned by Alfred Stieglitz, the photographer and New York gallery owner who gave Picasso his first exhibition in United States in 1911.
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Inscription: Signed and dated (verso, upper left, in graphite): Picasso/ 09
[probably with Moderne Galerie (Heinrich Thannhauser), Munich, by 1913–14; sold on March 31, 1914 to Basler]; [Adolphe Basler, Paris, 1914–15; left with Stieglitz in December 1914 as collateral for a loan; upon default of loan on August 15, 1915, acquired by Stieglitz]; Alfred Stieglitz, New York (1915–d. 1946; his estate, 1946–49; gift to MMA)
Munich. Moderne Galerie Heinrich Thannhauser. "Ausstellung Pablo Picasso," February 1913, no. 97 or 99 [probably this picture].
Cologne. Rheinische Kunstsalon (Otto Feldmann). "Pablo Picasso," March 15–April 15, 1913, no. 58 or 59 [probably this picture].
New York. 291. "Untitled exhibition of nine works by Pablo Picasso from the collection of Adolphe Basler," January 12–26, 1915, no catalogue.
Philadelphia Museum of Art. "History of an American, Alfred Stieglitz: '291' and After, Selections from the Stieglitz Collection," July 1–November 1, 1944, no. 94 (as "Woman's Head, Large").
Museum of Modern Art, New York. "Alfred Stieglitz Exhibition: His Collection," June 10–August 31, 1947, no catalogue (checklist no. 91; as "Head No. 2 (Woman)").
Art Institute of Chicago. "Alfred Stieglitz: His Photographs and His Collection," February 2–29, 1948, no catalogue (checklist no. 20; as "Head No. 2 (Woman)").
Museum of Modern Art, New York. "From the Alfred Stieglitz Collection: An Extended Loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art," May 22–August 12, 1951, no catalogue (checklist no. E.L.51.697; loan extended to May 15, 1961).
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Drawings from the Alfred Stieglitz Collection," September 9–November 12, 1967, no catalogue (unnumbered checklist; as "Woman with Arms Raised").
Los Angeles County Museum of Art. "The Cubist Epoch," December 15, 1970–February 21, 1971, no. 266 (as "Woman's Head").
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Cubist Epoch," April 9–June 7, 1971, no. 266.
Paris. Cabinet des dessins, Musée du Louvre. "Dessins français du Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York de David à Picasso," October 25, 1973–January 7, 1974, no. 72.
London. Tate Gallery. "The Essential Cubism, 1907–1920: Braque, Picasso & their friends," April 27–July 10, 1983, extended to July 31, 1983, no. 160.
Canberra. Australian National Gallery. "20th Century Masters from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York," March 1–April 27, 1986, unnumbered cat. (p. 18).
Brisbane. Queensland Art Gallery. "20th Century Masters from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York," May 7–July 1, 1986, unnumbered cat.
Paris. Musée Picasso. "Picasso 1901–1909: Chefs d'oeuvre du Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York," October 21, 1998–January 25, 1999, unnumbered cat. (fig. 36).
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. "Modern Art and America: Alfred Stieglitz and His New York Galleries," January 28–April 22, 2001, unnumbered cat. (pl. 53).
Paris. Musée d'Orsay. "New York et l'art moderne: Alfred Stieglitz et son cercle (1905–1930)," October 18, 2004–January 16, 2005.
Madrid. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. "Nueva York y el arte moderno: Alfred Stieglitz y su circulo (1905–1930)," February 10–May 16, 2005.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Picasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art," April 27–August 1, 2010, no. 48.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Stieglitz and His Artists: Matisse to O'Keeffe," October 13, 2011–January 2, 2012, no. 25.
Franco Russoli and Fiorella Minervino. L'opera completa di Picasso cubista. Milan, 1972, p. 97, no. 198, ill.
John Elderfield. Matisse in the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art, including Remainder-Interest and Promised Gifts. New York, 1978, pp. 68, 192, fig. 50.
Ulrich Weisner et al. Zeichnungen und Collagen des Kubismus: Picasso, Braque, Gris. Exh. cat., Kunsthalle Bielefeld. Bielefeld, 1979, p. 267, pl. 46.
Jean-François Rodriguez. "Le Cafard après la fête...": Naturisme e rappel à l'ordre tra Francia e Italia nelle lettere di Louis Rouart, Eugène Montford e Adolphe Basler ad Ardengo Soffici, 1910–1932. Padua, 2001, p. 108.
Julia May Boddewyn in Michael FitzGerald. Picasso and American Art. Exh. cat., Whitney Museum of American Art. New York, 2006, pp. 329, 359, 362.
Gary Tinterow inPicasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ed. Gary Tinterow and Susan Alyson Stein. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 2010, p. 5.
Lisa M. Messinger inPicasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ed. Gary Tinterow and Susan Alyson Stein. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 2010, pp. 136–38, no. 48, ill. (color).
Rachel Mustalish inPicasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ed. Gary Tinterow and Susan Alyson Stein. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 2010, p. 138.
Lisa Mintz Messinger inStieglitz and His Artists: Matisse to O'Keeffe. The Alfred Stieglitz Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ed. Lisa Mintz Messinger. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 2011, pp. 54–55, 248–49, no. 25, ill. (color).
Pablo Picasso (Spanish, Malaga 1881–1973 Mougins, France)
1929
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