PABLO PICASSO (1881–1973)
Portrait of Pablo Picasso with Remarques for Témoignage, 1956
Original etching by Paul-Pierre Lemagny (1905–1977) with an exceptionally rare original remarques etched by Pablo Picasso, executed in Nîmes on 22 May 1956.
Created for Jean Cocteau's celebrated publication Témoignage (Paris: Pierre Bertrand, 1956), the sheet combines Lemagny's finely engraved profile portrait of Picasso with spontaneous autograph-style etched interventions by Picasso himself, including a female profile, handwritten inscriptions, and a faun-like head. These additions transform the print from a reproductive portrait into a documented collaborative work involving Picasso directly.
Bibliographic References
Cramer 80 – Picasso: Livres Illustrés
Bloch 823 – Georges Bloch, Catalogue of the Printed Graphic Work
Horodisch D30
Published in: Témoignage, Jean Cocteau, Pierre Bertrand, Paris, 1956
Technical Details
Medium: Etching on Japanese nacre paper (papier Japon nacré)
Image size: approximately 56 × 38.5 cm
Printer: André Moret, Paris
Portrait engraved by Paul-Pierre Lemagny
Picasso's remarques etched at Nîmes on 22 May 1956
Signed and numbered by Lemagny
Edition associated with the special impressions containing Picasso's remarques
Historical Importance
According to research published in Picasso: 70 Years of Book Illustration by Miguel Orozco, Picasso became personally involved in the production of Témoignage and supervised various stages of its publication. The portrait by Lemagny was originally intended as an accompanying print for the book. Picasso subsequently engraved the additional remarques directly onto certain impressions, creating what Georges Bloch later catalogued as Bloch 823, an original Picasso graphic work in its own right.
The publication commemorated Picasso's seventy-fifth birthday and reflected the long, complex relationship between Jean Cocteau and Picasso. The resulting print stands among the most unusual collaborative works associated with Picasso's illustrated books, uniting the craftsmanship of one of France's foremost portrait engravers with spontaneous original interventions by Picasso himself.
Catalogue Description
A highly desirable and scarce impression of Bloch 823 / Cramer 80, featuring Paul-Pierre Lemagny's masterful engraved portrait of Picasso enhanced by original etched remarques executed by Picasso on 22 May 1956. Produced for Jean Cocteau's Témoignage, this collaborative sheet occupies a unique place within Picasso's graphic oeuvre, bridging the worlds of illustrated books, portrait engraving, and original printmaking. Its rarity, direct connection to Picasso's creative process, and inclusion in the principal Picasso catalogues make it one of the most significant ancillary prints associated with the artist's illustrated-book production.
