PABLO PICASSO
Málaga 1881- 1973 Mougins (Spanish)

The Surprised Bathers - 1933
Original Hand Signed Etching

Title: The Surprised Bathers

Technique: Original Etching with Drypoint on Montval laid paper with the Vollard watermark

Paper Size: 34 x 44.5 cm / 13.4 x 17.5 in

Plate size: 19 x 26.5 cm / 7.5 x 10.4 in

Additional Information: This original etching is hand signed in pencil by the artist "Picasso" at the lower right margin.
This is the 14th plate from Picasso's most important series of etchings known as the "Suite Vollard".
The Vollard Suite, created between 1930-37, was named after it publisher, the French art dealer and critic, Ambroise Vollard. Picasso and Vollard shared a close working relationship up until 1910; however, after this date Vollard was no longer Picasso’s dealer though the two continued to collaborate on publishing projects. In 1930 Vollard, encouraged by the success of two earlier ventures, ambitiously commissioned 100 plates from Picasso and by 1937 the plates were completed and given to master printer Roger Lacouriere to print. The entire edition comprises 3 copies on parchment, 50 copies on larger format Montval paper (50 x 38 cm) and 250 on smaller format Montval paper 44.5 x 34.0). Tragically, Ambroise Vollard died in a car crash 22 July 1939 leaving the project temporarily suspended, until, a greater part of the edition was purchased by the print dealer Henri Petiet. After World War II Petiet engaged Picasso to sign a certain number of sets, and this continued up until 1969 but ceased with the publication of the 347 Series. Hence, a number of the prints from the edition of 250 remain unsigned.ssion is from the small format Montval paper (with the Vollard watermark) and is Hand Signed by Picasso.

Provenance: The Alpha Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts.
Private collection, Massachusetts (purchased at the above, circa 1970's.)

Literature: Bloch, Georges, 1968, Pablo Picasso: Tome I, Catalogue of the printed graphic work 1904-1967, Berne Editions Kornfeld et Klipstein.
Reference: Bloch 194. (Baer 355)

Condition: Excellent condition.