To say Picasso was prolific would be something of an understatement. At the time of his death in 1973, he left 45,000 surviving works, and at least ten surviving dependents. It seems he was also too busy to leave a will.
As such, Picasso’s legacy was not only artistic – his lack of paperwork left a family with six years of legal disputes, and the formation of factions which continue to the present day. Having played out in a painfully public way, Marina Picasso is now to sell some of her grandfather’s more minor works at a Sotheby’s sale later this month.
This month’s auction will be the tenth Picasso has held since 2015, the previous nine of which have grossed an estimated £40 million. A cut of all the sales have been used towards charities that help orphaned children and children’s hospitals.
The sale is estimated at bringing in some £1 million, selling sixty drawings and ceramics between 1899 and 1970. According to The Telegraph: “Though none are exactly top drawer, they track Picasso’s evolution through many styles”. Quite unusually, three of his painting palettes are also for sale, estimated at around £3,000 apiece.
None of the pieces in this auction are signed – indeed, Picasso made a habit of only signing pieces when they left his studio. However, with such provenance as Marina Picasso, it is almost without doubt that these pieces are original Picassos.
The sale is one of the first to allow physical viewing since lockdown, with buyers able to view pieces in person before bidding online.
