Pablo Picasso

David and Bathsheba (After Lucas Cranach) II [David et Bethsabée (d'après Lucas Cranach) II], by Pablo Picasso, 1947.

• Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973).
• Lithograph on Arches Wove paper.
• Hand-signed and numbered.
• This work is presented unframed.

This lithograph is hand signed in pencil by the artist "Picasso" at the lower right margin. It is also hand numbered in pencil, from the edition of 50 at the lower left margin. It is dated in the plate "Dimanche 30 Mars 1947" [Sunday 30th March 1947].

It was created by Picasso on the 30th March 1947 by applying pen and ink wash to zinc plate and using a scraper. It was printed by Mourlot in the same year in a limited edition of 50 impressions. There were also six artist’s proofs.

This impression is the second state of ten. Only the second and fourth states were published as editions of 50. The work progressively becomes darker and more abstracted through the creative process. The paper bears the Arches watermark.

Other impressions of this subject are held by the Art Institute of Chicago and Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon, United States of America.

Lucas Cranach was one of the main Old Master artist’s to have provided inspiration for Picasso. The artist was first introduced to the magnificent paintings by Cranach through his dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, who would sporadically send postcards and exhibition catalogues of Cranach’s masterpieces from across Europe. On this occasion Picasso received a black and white exhibition catalogue from an exhibition in Berlin, which had included a photograph of Lucas Cranach’s David and Bathsheba painted in 1534.

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Hand signed and numbered.

1. Mourlot, F. (2009). Picasso Project: Picasso. The Lithographic Work. Volume II. 1949-1969. San Francisco: Alan Wofsy. Reference: Mourlot 109 (Second State).

2. Bloch, G. (1971). Pablo Picasso: Tome I. Catalogue of the Printed Graphic Work 1904-1967. Bern: Edition Kornfeld et Klipstein. Reference: Bloch 440