Pablo Picasso
Tête d'homme couronné (Head of a crowned man), 1966
Felt-tip pen on paper
Carl Nesjar was a Norwegian painter, sculptor and graphic artist who worked closely with Picasso for nearly twenty years. It was an incredibly rich and fruitful collaboration for both men, and Nesjar is probably the only person whom Picasso ever allowed to alter his drawings and designs!
They met for the first time on 20th January 1957. Picasso had been looking for a way to create large works of public art; Nesjar was a skilled sculptor who had made a name for himself by using a type of concrete construction that included an element of artistic embellishment and sculpting. This technique was exactly what Picasso had been looking for. When he saw photographs of Nesjar’s work he exclaimed “You should have been here last week. I have been waiting for you!” Picasso would make drawings and scale models in cardboard and sheet metal which Nesjar would then scale up into concrete, making adjustments as necessary. The two men became close and Nesjar’s family would often visit Picasso in the South of France. He created numerous dedicated artworks by way of tribute to the younger artist.
This particular drawing was created in 1966 and it really shows off the sense of optimism and playfulness that characterises so much of Picasso’s late work. It was made in felt-tip pen, a relatively new medium at the time, showing Picasso’s dedication to keep experimenting with new techniques and his determination to create art with whatever materials he had to hand.
It was drawn onto the frontispiece of a book that has since been removed from the binding. “Picasso i Arbete” is the Norwegian translation of “Picasso at Work”, a book of fly-on-the-wall photographs published by Edward Quinn in 1965. In a typically humorous touch Picasso has made this text the centrepiece of the crown worn by the man in his drawing. The piece is dedicated "Pour mon ami Nesjar".
We acquired this drawing from Sotheby’s. It was consigned by Nesjar’s family and had never been on the market before. Picasso’s son Claude has authenticated it. This is an incredibly rare opportunity for a collector to acquire a work with great personal significance for Picasso with a provenance that places it right at the centre of his creative world. It puts any buyer almost within touching distance of the artist!
Any questions? We are happy to help. Call: 0117 279 6402 or send us a message now.
