Pablo Picasso Spanish, 1881-1973

The present artwork featured in the book “Souvenirs et portraits d’artists” by Fernand Mourlot. The work is a memoir by the famous Master Printer written between 1967 and 1969. He tells of first beginnings of his printing shop and his encounters with famous artists such as Maurice Brianchon; Andre Masson; Andre Baudin; Apel; Maurice Esteve; Henri Matisse; Paul Guiramand; Kostia Terechkovitch; Georges Braque; Andre Derain; Pablo Picasso; Paul Jenkins; Joan Miro; Jean Cocteau; Andre Minaux; Jacques Villon; Marc Chagall; Alberto Giacometti; Bernard Buffet; Paul Wunderlich; Paul Delvaux; Victor Vasarely; Alfred Manessier; Charles Lapicque and Graham Sutherland. The book is illustrated with original lithographs of which ours is an example. The work illustrates the humour of the artist showing a rotund woman with comically exaggerated features, and her small dog, portrayed with wry smile in conversation with a Lord wearing sunglasses and carrying a rapier. Picasso's tableau relates to similar compositions found in paintings from Renaissance, ad partly to the humour found in cartoons from modern world.