Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) - Jacqueline en Espagnole

PABLO PICASSO (after)
Jacqueline en Espagnole
From La Flûte Double by Hélène Parmelin, 1967
A captivating and highly expressive portrait of Jacqueline Roque, Picasso's wife and principal muse of his final decades, reproduced from an original drawing executed on 2 October 1955 and published in the celebrated portfolio La Flûte Double.
Issued in 1967 by Au Vent d'Arles in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, La Flûte Double is among the most important Picasso portfolios devoted to the reproduction of the artist's drawings, watercolours and wash studies. The portfolio comprises sixteen large-format pochoirs printed by the legendary Atelier Daniel Jacomet, whose sophisticated stencil process is widely regarded as the finest method ever developed for translating the immediacy and richness of original works on paper into printed form.
The present composition portrays Jacqueline dressed in a Spanish-inspired costume, an image that reflects Picasso's lifelong fascination with Spanish culture and tradition. The figure is rendered through an extraordinary economy of line, combining delicate pencil-like contours with powerful black and blue tonal passages concentrated in the face. The result is a work of remarkable psychological intensity, where a few energetic strokes are sufficient to create a vivid and unforgettable presence.
The original drawing is dated "Dimanche 2 Octobre 55" (Sunday, 2 October 1955), visible in the lower left corner of the composition, while Picasso's facsimile signature appears lower right. The image belongs to the important series of Jacqueline portraits created during the mid-1950s, a period that marked the beginning of one of the most prolific and influential artistic relationships of Picasso's career.
Printed on fine handmade Auvergne paper with deckled edges, the sheet was issued as part of the limited edition of 500 numbered copies, accompanied by 30 hors-commerce impressions, produced for La Flûte Double.
Technical Details
Artist: Pablo Picasso (after an original drawing)
Title: Jacqueline en Espagnole
Publication: La Flûte Double
Author: Hélène Parmelin
Publisher: Au Vent d'Arles, Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Date of publication: 1967
Date of original drawing: 2 October 1955
Technique: Two-colour pochoir / Jacomet process after Picasso's original drawing
Printer: Atelier Daniel Jacomet, Paris
Edition: From the portfolio edition of 500 copies (+ 30 hors commerce)
Sheet size: approximately 53 × 42 cm
Paper: Handmade Auvergne paper with deckled edges
Reference: Miguel Orozco, Picasso: 70 Years of Book Illustration, No. 238
Portfolio: La Flûte Double, complete portfolio comprising 16 pochoirs
Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Tachia and Charles Rozoff, Paris
Combining the spontaneity of Picasso's late drawing style with the exceptional craftsmanship of the Jacomet workshop, Jacqueline en Espagnole stands among the most elegant and evocative images from La Flûte Double. The sheet embodies the artist's enduring fascination with Jacqueline and his Spanish heritage, while preserving the freshness and immediacy of the original 1955 composition.