Jeune Fille Endormie is a 1935 oil on canvas painting by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso depicting his model and lover, Marie-Thérèse Walter, as she slept. It was sold at Christie's auction house in London in 2011 for nearly £13.5 million after being donated to the University of Sydney by an anonymous American donor.
| Jeune Fille Endormie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Pablo Picasso |
| Year | 1935 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 46.3 cm × 55 cm (18.2 in × 22 in) |
| Location | Private collection |
Background
editJeune Fille Endormie is rarely seen in public. The only time it has been previously available for viewing was in 1939 when owner Walter P. Chrysler Jr. lent it to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City for a retrospective of Picasso's work.[1]
It was donated to the University of Sydney by an anonymous American donor[2] and was sent to be sold at Christie's auction house in London in June 2011.[3] While it was expected to sell for up to £12 million,[1] it actually sold for nearly £13.5 million,[4] with the proceeds going toward a A$400m (£260m) research center.[1] The donor had made his donation conditional upon the painting being immediately sold with proceeds going toward research; he delivered it personally, having flown from overseas with the painting in his hand-luggage.[1] An additional ten paintings were also donated, along with items of jewelry.[1] Tim Dolan, director of development for the university reported that as the donor handed over the painting, he said, "When you own a valuable painting like this, it sort of owns you back. For the first time in a long, long while, I finally feel free."[5]
Description
editJeune Fille Endormie is one of many paintings Picasso made of his lover, Marie-Thérèse Walter.[3] It is tightly focused on the sleeping head of Marie-Thérèse, with her body painted in an incandescent array of colors. It was completed and signed by Picasso on 3 February 1935. The painting is signed by Picasso on the upper left and measures 46.3 cm x 55 cm.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Aspden, Peter (20 June 2011). "Picasso 'jewel' will help fund research". Financial Times.
- ^ "American gives Picasso art to University of Sydney". CBS News. 27 April 2011.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Rare Picasso expected to fetch up to £12m at Christie's". BBC News. 21 June 2011.
- ^ "Picasso painting sold for almost £13.5m at Christie's". BBC News. 21 June 2011.
- ^ Dolan, Tim (21 June 2011). "Sydney's Picasso moment driven by an optimism bias". The Australian.
- ^ "Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Jeune fille endormie". Christie's. Retrieved 26 December 2020.