If the Spanish artist’s paintings regularly reach auction heights, his sculptural works are rarer on the market.
However, these pieces accompany his drawn and painted work, as is the case of “Tête de femme (Fernande).”
This sculpture, dated 1909, marks the culmination of an important series of painted studies of Fernande Olivier, Picasso’s first great love and muse.
It represents a pivotal moment in the development of Cubism, and bears witness to a new way of representing volume and shape.
“This three-dimensional bronze bust, inspired by the artist’s first muse Fernande Olivier, is a rare example, representing an absolutely crucial moment in the development of Picasso’s artistic practice, Cubism, and the art historical canon at large,” said in a statement Marc Porter, chairman of Christie’s Americas.
There are about 20 known casts of “Tête de femme (Fernande),” the majority of which are in museums such as the Musée national Picasso in Paris, the National Gallery in Prague and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
The copy for sale at Christie’s comes from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, having joined the New York institution’s collection in 2013, following a gift from the philanthropist and cosmetics magnate Leonard A Lauder.
The sculpture could be auctioned for more than US$30 million. This is a far cry from the US$141.3 million fetched by Alberto Giacometti’s “L’Homme au doigt” (Pointing Man), sold in 2015 at Christie’s in New York – a record still unmatched for a sculpture at auction.
The sale of “Tête de femme (Fernande)” will allow the Met to raise funds to enrich its art collection.
“Tête de femme (Fernande)” will go under the hammer in May during the auction house’s New York 20th Century Evening Sale.
At the same time, art collectors will also be able to bid for “Champs près des Alpilles” by Vincent Van Gogh.
This oil painting is one of two paintings that Van Gogh sent to his friend Joseph Roulin while he was in an asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in southern France.
It has remained in private hands since its creation in 1889, and is estimated to fetch more than US$45 million.
Before being auctioned in New York, “Tête de femme (Fernande)” will be exhibited in Hong Kong and London.