Picasso drew this portrait of the French Symbolist poet Paul Verlaine (1844–1896), and another of his friend Stéphane Mallarmé (1842–1898), on the endpapers to an edition of Mallarmé's poetry that belonged to his friend Paul Éluard (1895–1952). The Met's drawing was separated from both the book and its companion drawing at some point before 1966.
Picasso was probably introduced to Verlaine's poetry while still a teenager in Spain, but it was Max Jacob, whom he met in Paris in the summer of 1901, who was responsible for the artist's early education in French literature, especially Verlaine. Picasso met Éluard in the mid-1920s through his associations with the Surrealists. He dedicated a number of poems to Picasso and collected his work. In turn, Picasso contributed original illustrations to Éluard's publications.
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Inscription: Signed, dated, and inscribed on verso, in ink: Pour/ Paul Eluard/ Picasso/ Paris le mardi 6 juin 1945; dated, upper left and upper right: 5.6.45
Paul Éluard (Eugène Grindel), Paris (1945–d. 1952; gift of the artist on June 6, 1945); possibly his daughter, Cécile Éluard; [M. Knoedler & Cie, Paris and New York, by 1966–67; sold in October 1967 to Avnet]; Lester Francis and Joan Avnet (1967–ca. 1978); William S. Lieberman, New York (by 1978–d. 2005; his bequest to MMA)
New York Cultural Center. "A Selection of Drawings, Pastels and Watercolors from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Francis Avnet," December 9, 1969–January 25, 1970, no. 106.
Tokyo. National Museum of Western Art. "From Cézanne through Picasso: 100 Drawings from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, An Exhibition Organized under the Auspices of The International Council of the Museum of Modern Art," May 1–June 20, 1971, no. 91.
Kurume. Ishibashi Museum. "From Cézanne through Picasso: 100 Drawings from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, An Exhibition Organized under the Auspices of The International Council of the Museum of Modern Art," July 1–August 1, 1971, no. 91.
Auckland City Art Gallery. "From Cézanne through Picasso: 100 Drawings from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, An Exhibition Organized under the Auspices of The International Council of the Museum of Modern Art," September 7–October 17, 1971, no. 91.
Melbourne. National Gallery of Victoria. "From Cézanne through Picasso: 100 Drawings from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, An Exhibition Organized under the Auspices of The International Council of the Museum of Modern Art," November 11, 1971–January 2, 1972, no. 91.
Sydney. Farmer's Blaxland Gallery. "From Cézanne through Picasso: 100 Drawings from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, An Exhibition Organized under the Auspices of The International Council of the Museum of Modern Art," January 17–February 5, 1972, no. 91.
Honolulu Academy of Arts. "From Cézanne through Picasso: 100 Drawings from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York," February 18–March 26, 1972, no catalogue.
California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco. "From Cézanne through Picasso: 100 Drawings from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York," April 15–June 4, 1972, no catalogue.
Otterlo. Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller. "Hundred Drawings from the Museum of Modern Art, New York," April 15–June 18, 1973, no. 88.
Sheffield, England. Graves Art Gallery. "One Hundred European Drawings from The Museum of Modern Art, New York," September 22–November 4, 1973, no. 91.
Milan. Rotonda di via Besana. "Disegni di artisti europei del Museum of Modern Art di New York," November 30, 1973–January 6, 1974, no. 91.
Lisbon. Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian. "100 desenhos europeus do Museu de Arte Moderna de Nova Iorque," February–March 1974, no. 90.
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. "Exposition Picasso," October 15–December 4, 1977, no. 132.
Nagoya. Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art. "Exposition Picasso," December 13–26, 1977, no. 132.
Cultural Center of Fukuoka. "Exposition Picasso," January 5–22, 1978, no. 132.
Kyoto. National Museum of Modern Art. "Exposition Picasso," January 28–March 5, 1978, no. 132.
New York. Museum of Modern Art. "Pablo Picasso: A Retrospective," May 22–September 16, 1980, unnumbered cat. (p. 387).
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Picasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art," April 27–August 1, 2010, no. 88.
Elaine L. Johnson inPicasso in the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Ed. William Rubin. Exh. cat., Museum of Modern Art. New York, 1972, pp. 7, 236, ill. p. 165.
Marshall C. Olds. "Future Mallarmé (Present Picasso): Portraiture and Self-Portraiture in Poetry and Art." Romance Quarterly 45 (Summer 1998), pp. 171, 173.
Mariel Jardines. The Picasso Project: Picasso's Paintings, Watercolours, Drawings and Sculpture, A Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue 1885–1973. Ed. Herschel B. Chipp and Alan Wofsy. Vol. 9, Liberation and Post-War Years, 1944–1949. San Francisco, 2000, p. 38, no. 45-068, ill.
Marla Prather 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. 237–41, no. 88, 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. 241.
Pablo Picasso (Spanish, Malaga 1881–1973 Mougins, France)
1955, printed 1961
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