Pablo Picasso – Vingt Poèmes de Góngora

Vingt Poèmes de Góngora (Twenty Poems by Góngora): Two Plates, 1948
See Bloch 476–516, Baer 747–48 & 767–68, Cramer Books 51

• Artist: Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973)
• Medium: Etchings and aquatint with attached text by Luis de Góngora y Argote, on wove paper watermarked "Góngora," with full margins, folded (as issued)
• Dimensions (sheet, both, unfolded): 38.1 × 55.9 cm (15 × 22 in)
• Dimensions (sheet, both, folded): 38.1 × 27.9 cm (15 × 11 in)
• Edition: Edition of 250 (also 25 hors commerce in Roman numerals)
• Publisher: Les Grands Peintres Modernes et le Livre, Paris 

This lot comprises two etchings and aquatint plates by Pablo Picasso — one of the most celebrated and historically transformative artists in the entire history of Western art — created for Vingt Poèmes de Góngora (Twenty Poems by Góngora), executed in 1948 with attached text by the Spanish Golden Age poet Luis de Góngora y Argote, printed on wove paper watermarked "Góngora," with full margins, and presented folded as originally issued, from the edition of 250 (an additional 25 hors commerce copies were also produced in Roman numerals), published by Les Grands Peintres Modernes et le Livre in Paris.

Picasso's illustrated book projects occupy a position of singular importance within his vast and varied printed oeuvre — a sustained and deeply personal engagement with the literary tradition in which the artist brought the full force of his graphic invention to bear on texts of profound cultural and historical resonance. Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561–1627), the celebrated Spanish Baroque poet whose dense, ornate, and formally daring verse made him one of the most important and controversial figures in the history of Spanish literature, held a particular significance for Picasso as a fellow Spaniard and as a representative of the same tradition of linguistic and formal audacity that runs through Picasso's own visual practice. In Vingt Poèmes de Góngora, Picasso's etched and aquatinted compositions enter into direct dialogue with Góngora's verse, the two creative voices — separated by more than three centuries but united by a shared origin and a shared appetite for formal invention — combining within a single, unified object of exceptional literary and visual significance.

That same fluid, economical line reappears in Jeunesse (1950), an etching capturing youth and grace with characteristic immediacy. A more theatrical, festive vision of the human figure can be found in Le Divertissement (1966), an etching and drypoint from a rare edition of 50 depicting a lively, almost bacchanalian scene of music and myth — both available now at Lynart Gallery.

The work is in good condition, consistent with its as-issued folded state.

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FAQ

Is this an original work by Pablo Picasso?
Yes — two authentic etchings and aquatint plates with attached text by Luis de Góngora, from the edition of 250, on wove paper watermarked "Góngora," published by Les Grands Peintres Modernes et le Livre, Paris.

Who was Luis de Góngora?
Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561–1627) was one of the most important and formally daring poets of the Spanish Baroque, whose dense and ornate verse held particular significance for Picasso as a fellow Spaniard sharing a tradition of linguistic and artistic invention.

Why is the work presented folded?
The work is presented folded, as originally issued — preserving its precise original bibliographic state as a component of the complete illustrated book, a detail of considerable importance to collectors and confirming its authenticity as an original issue.

What is the edition size?
Edition of 250, with an additional 25 hors commerce copies produced in Roman numerals.

What are the dimensions?
Sheet, unfolded: 38.1 × 55.9 cm (15 × 22 in) — Sheet, folded: 38.1 × 27.9 cm (15 × 11 in). Image sizes vary across the two plates.

Who published the work?
Les Grands Peintres Modernes et le Livre, Paris — a publishing house dedicated to collaborations between major modern painters and significant literary texts.

Is the work framed?
No. Presented unframed, in its original folded state.

What is the condition?
Good condition, consistent with the as-issued folded presentation. Full condition report available upon request.

Is this artwork a good investment?
Pablo Picasso is the most consistently collected and commercially significant artist in the history of the global auction market. Illustrated book plates from historically significant literary collaborations such as Vingt Poèmes de Góngora represent compelling and culturally rich acquisitions for serious collectors.

Is worldwide shipping available?
Yes — secure worldwide shipping from France with professional packaging, tracking, and insurance.

Selected for you — David Hockney, a natural companion to this piece !