Picasso's "Vieil Homme et Femme Penchée..." | Original 156 Series Aquatint | Plate 24 (Edition 1/50)
This remarkable original copperplate sugar-lift aquatint, scraper, and drypoint, titled "Vieil Homme et Femme Penchée sur l'Encolure de son Cheval" (Plate 24), originates from Pablo Picasso's revered 156 Series, which represents the crowning graphic achievement of his twilight years. Created on March 15, 1970, at his studio in Mougins, this complex composition demonstrates Picasso's absolute mastery of intaglio techniques, combining velvety sugar-lift tonal washes with the sharp, spontaneous intervention of the scraper and drypoint. The artwork stages a theatrical, equestrian encounter charged with dramatic chiaroscuro, contrasting an aged onlooker with a female figure leaning gracefully over her mount—revisiting the enduring themes of performance, youth, and the gaze that occupied the artist's late career.
Boasting the premier status of Edition 1/50, this fine impression was hand-pulled on luxurious Vélin de Rives paper by Picasso's trusted master printers, Aldo & Piero Crommelynck, and published posthumously in 1978 by the historic Galerie Louise Leiris in Paris. Representing a premier acquisition for discerning collectors, this museum-grade work provides an exceptional, tangible link to the final creative apex of the 20th century's greatest master.
Artwork Details
- Artist: Pablo Picasso
- Title: Plate No. 24, Vieil Homme et Femme Penchée sur l'Encolure de son Cheval
- Date: March 15, 1970
- Medium: Original Copperplate Sugar-lift Aquatint, Scraper, and Drypoint
- Edition: 1/50
- Signature: Printed Signature (stamped as issued for the 156 Series)
- Image Size: 8 ⅛" x 5 ⅞"
- Paper Size: 13 ¼" x 9 ⅞"
- Paper Type: Vélin de Rives
- Printer: Aldo & Piero Crommelynck, Mougins, France
- Publisher: Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris, 1978
- Reference: Bloch 1879, Baer 1884 II B a., Orozco Etchings Vol. 3 No. 2912
Includes COA from Gold & Silver Pawn Shop
Framing included, as pictured