3474 - PICASSO, PABLO (Málaga 1881 – 1973 Mougins) *: "Blind Minotaur Guided by Marie Thérèse to the Pigeon on a Starry Night"

PICASSO, PABLO (Málaga 1881 – 1973 Mougins) *: "Blind Minotaur Guided by Marie Thérèse to the Pigeon on a Starry Night" Aquatint etching signed by hand lower right 24x5x34.7 cm (plate), 33.5x44 cm (sheet size), framed * The hammer price is also subject to VAT. - Bibliography: Georges Bloch, Picasso. Catalogue de l’oeuvre gravé, Vol. I, Bern 1975, p. 73, no. 225; Bernhard Geiser, Picasso peintre-graveur. Catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre gravé et des monotypes, Bern 1992, Vol. II, p. 314, No. 437/B/d. Dated 1934. Pablo Picasso is undoubtedly one of the most important, original, and prolific artists of the 20th century. His body of work encompasses thousands of paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, and prints, including key works such as the aquatint offered here. Depicted is the Minotaur, a central motif in the Spanish master’s iconography and his alter ego. In Picasso’s earlier work, this figure from Greek mythology symbolizes destructive power, primal masculinity, and unbridled creativity. In this composition, however, Picasso depicted the Minotaur for the first time as frail, old, in need of help, and, above all, blind. In 1934, the artist was in the midst of a major creative crisis. Both in the painting and in reality, his then-lover Marie-Thérèse Walter appears as his savior, accompanied by a dove of hope, guiding the Minotaur across the nighttime beach. A year later, Picasso separated from his then-wife and began living with Marie-Thérèse, who was nearly 30 years his junior. This marked the beginning of one of the most productive creative periods in the Spaniard’s life. This work is part of the Vollard Suite, a series of 100 etchings that represent the pinnacle of Picasso’s printmaking oeuvre. Auction date: November 6, 2026, 2:45 p.m.