1960s After Pablo Picasso, "Joy of Life" Large Vintage Period Lithograph

Description

Large period offset lithograph after painting "La Joie de Vivre" by Pablo Picasso. This fold-out piece comes from a rare … more Large period offset lithograph after painting "La Joie de Vivre" by Pablo Picasso. This fold-out piece comes from a rare art book published in the mid 1960s. Excellent condition - never framed, crease in the center is not deep and won't show when the piece is framed.

Image 15"W x 7"H
Overall 15.85"W x 11.85"H

According to the nineteenth century French historian Jules Michelet "la joie de vivre" is a harmonious state, a peaceful existence within nature. In English, “the joy of living” is associated with all those things that make life worthwhile. In the year the Cubist Pablo Picasso painted this work, there was not much joy in postwar Europe. The artist had finally returned to his favourite French Riviera to enjoy freedom from Occupation as well as burgeoning relationship with a young French artist, Francoise Gilot, whom he painted as a flower in 1946. She is most likely the model for the central creature of this work, with its long flowing hair, in a dance with the fauns and satyrs, the half-horse, half-men of ancient Greek mythology. The couple visited Matisse in Nice - it was probably Matisse's request to paint Francoise with green hair that provoked Picasso to copy his rival's earlier work. Picasso, 65 years old, and age when most retire, was once more in love with a very young woman and full of creative fervour. Francoise, 25, found she was pregnant shortly after this work was finished. less