Bidspirit auction | Pablo Picasso, Manner of: Francoise Gilot

Pablo Picasso, Manner of: Francoise Gilot au Bandeau - Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973) Manner of: Francoise Gilot au Bandeau. Graphite on paper. Signed lower right, dated above (Juillet (July) 1946)). Unframed. At the end of April 1946, Picasso began a series of pencil portraits of Gilot. From Christi's Expert View of July 10, lot 44, Portrait de femme (Francoise Gilot): Picasso's portrayals of Gilot were influenced by his friendship and gentle rivalry with Henri Matisse. Gilot held a great admiration for Matisse and was overjoyed when, during their stay in Golfe-Juan at the beginning of 1946, Picasso suggested they go and visit him in Vence. At this time the couple's relationship was still secret, so Picasso introduced Gilot as nothing more than a ”young painter”. Matisse, no doubt realizing Gilot was more than just an acquaintance of Picasso, set about describing how he would portray her if he were to paint her portrait. Instantly protective of his lover and muse, Picasso responded, ”'But why would you make a portrait of her?' 'Because she has a head that interests me, ' Matisse said, 'with her eyebrows sticking up like circumflex accents'”. They went on, as Gilot recounted: ”'Really, that's going pretty far', he said. ‘Do I make portraits of Lydia [Delectorskaya]?... In any case, '” he told Gilot, ”'now I know how I should make your portrait'” (Gilot, ibid., p. 99-100). 11.5 x 9 inches.