This work was made when the artist was only 25 years of age during his “Rose Period”. Financially insecure and a relative unknown within the art world at this point, Picasso nevertheless did not waiver in his creativity. While in Paris, he immersed himself in Bohemian culture and intermingled with the more flamboyant characters of the demi-monde, including prostitutes, cabaret and circus performers, beggars and madmen. This happy, later, drawing , showing a young girl playing ball , is probably of the same date as the “Suite des Saltimbanques” which deals with a similar cast of characters.

A very closely related sister drawing, “Fillette jouant à la balle”, is held in the collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art Christie’s dated our drawing to 1902 but the Museum dates their drawing to 1906. So similar are the two that they must have been made contemporaneously. “Jeune femme au tambourin” (Christies, 11/56/2008 - lot 147), an oil on canvas, is also dated to 1906. Another well known 1905 oil on canvas painting , also produced during his Rose Period, depicts a group of travelling circus performers during a rehearsal, with a primary focus on two contrasting figures. There are striking similarities between this and our work. All these factors together make me believe that our work dates from 1906 and not 1902.

Authentication: A certificate from Claude Picasso date 29/6/2017 accompanies this work.

Provenance: Previously the property of Jeanne Lanvin, Princesse de Polignac (1867-1946), Paris, and thence by descent; sale, Christie's, London, 9 December 1998, lot 639.

Mademoiselle Jeanne Lanvin began her career as a milliner in 1885. In 1889, she opened a shop “Lanvin (Melle Jeanne) Modes” at 16 Rue Boissy d’Anglas, then in 1893 acquired her premises at 22 Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré. Jeanne Lanvin represented artistry and virtuosity in the couturière’s craft. She became an extremely famous and important fashion designer. and had an important collection of art from which this present drawing comes.

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