Old Man with a Beard created for the book "L'Hopital de Santa Creu i de Sant Pau"

 

Pablo Picasso

  1881 - 1973 (biography)

1971  

aquatint, printed relief 

4 11/16 x 3 9/16" platemark 

red pencil, lower right 

157/182 (there was an additional, unsigned edtion of 2000 published in the book, plus a special edit 

editioned in pencil; dated "13.5.71" backward in plate, upper right 

Bloch 2014, Cramer 151 

cream wove Arches 

published 

L'Hopital de Sainte Cru 

18877 

$4,000.00 

This aquatint was published in the book "L'Hopital de Santa Creu I de Sant Pau by Joseph Capmany and other authors. This plate was made in 1971 and printed in October of that year. In 1969 Picasso had been instrumental in the publication of another work by Jacini Reventos (see Kramer 147). At the time Picasso had suggested to the former's son, Jacint Reventos i Conti, that he establish a Foundation in his fathers name. The proceeds of this book, therefore, went to set up a special section for respiratory diseases in the hospital in Barcelona where Dr Reventos had worked. The book, whose proceeds were to be entirely used for the benefit of the new Foundation, was due to the efforts of Gusttavo Gili and his wife, Anna Maria. It was to them that Picasso gave, in May 1971, an aquatint he had just made. The work depicts an old man with a beard and an upturned moustache wearing the hat of a 16th century cavalier in white on a black background. This personality began to appear in Picasso's prints in the 1960's and especially in 1968 when the artist made illustrations for "La Celestine". The printing was completed on the 25th October , 1971, the day marking Picasso's 90th birthday.