The Picasso image that is being offered on the 2Covet platform
A doodle of Picasso’s former muse and her fiancé that the famed artist drew for them has emerged for sale on the antique selling platform 2Covet.
Sylvette David, who now lives in Devon, captivated the Spanish painter in the 1950s due to the high ponytail that she wore – which also inspired the then unknown Bridget Bardot.
Picasso spent months painting the teenager in the south of France, the ‘Sylvette series’ becoming one of his most diverse and experimental bodies of work to be inspired by one woman.
After Sylvette got engaged to Tobias Jellinek in 1956 the couple went to see Picasso who drew their picture in the copy of his book ‘L’ouvre Grave de Picasso’, adding a date, signature and message.
This unique page has now been framed and is being offered on the portal 2Covet with a price of £55,000.
Sylvette, who is an artist still at 86 and goes by the name Lydia Corbett, remembers when she and her fiancé went to see Picasso who got out his crayons.
He was 73 then and Sylvette was 19. She said: “He gave it to us as a wedding present.
“He took out some crayons and did it in front of us. He often did things like that.
“I am so grateful to Picasso, he inspired me all my life and gave me a gift without knowing.
“When I met him I was 19 and looked 15. I never wore make-up and wore simple clothes. I was naive and innocent. His wife was leaving him and I cheered him up.
“He was like a father figure. I know the page was sold some years ago but it’s too expensive for me. My work is a lot cheaper.”
Frank McKenzie, co-founder and head of Art and Design at Xupes, an online business headquartered in Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, said: “This is a unique item, drawn by Picasso. I acquired it a few years ago and have had it conserved and framed.
Picasso doodle, framed
“Picasso has written the date and the message ‘Pour mes chers fiances’ with a quick sketch of the couple – including the distinctive high ponytail on Sylvette.
“She was his muse and the sketch of her fiancé is perhaps not quite as flattering, but it shows them holding a bunch of flowers.
“He annotated one of his books and it is the relevant page which is for sale, superbly mounted.
“Picasso used different coloured crayons and inscribed a number of books, but this includes an original drawing and despite it only taking seconds it is unique. And of course it is of one of his most famous muses.
“There will be collectors in many parts of the world who would love to own this – and perhaps someone preparing to pop the question themselves would like it to help receive the desired answer.
“It is listed on the 2Covet antique portal which allows people from all over the world to view and buy antiques and art.”
Picasso was a Spanish artist who spent most of his life in France. He was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and co-founded the Cubist movement.
In 2015 his painting Les Femmes d’Alger (Version O) sold for $179,365,000 – it was painted in 1955, the same year he was painting Sylvette.
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For more information contact Ed Baker at Deep South Media on 07788392965
