Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973)
written by Honoré de Balzac (French, 1799-1850)
etched by Louis Fort (French, 19th-20th century) and engraved by Georges Aubert (French, 1886-1961)
published by Ambroise Vollard (French, 1867-1939)
binding by Henri Creuzevault (French, 1905-1971)
Le Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu (The Unknown Masterpiece)
INV-1114
Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973)
written by Honoré de Balzac (French, 1799-1850)
etched by Louis Fort (French, 19th-20th century) and engraved by Georges Aubert (French, 1886-1961)
published by Ambroise Vollard (French, 1867-1939)
binding by Henri Creuzevault (French, 1905-1971)published 1931, reworked late 1950s
Le Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu (The Unknown Masterpiece)
Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973) written by Honoré de Balzac (French, 1799-1850) etched by Louis Fort (French, 19th-20th century) and engraved by Georges Aubert (French, 1886-1961) published by Ambroise Vollard (French, 1867-1939) binding by Henri Creuzevault (French, 1905-1971) →Cubismetchingbook
Date
published 1931, reworked late 1950s
Medium
Book with 12 etchings hors-texte, 67 wood engravings, and crayon, with black morocco binding
Dimensions
32.5 × 25.3 cm (12 13/16 × 10 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Bequest of Maxine Kunstadter
Picasso’s illustrations for Honoré de Balzac’s short story The Unknown Masterpiece included engravings, line drawings, and etchings. Balzac’s tale of a misunderstood artist who works in secret on an “unknown masterpiece,” appealed to Picasso. He made unusual line and dot drawings, which he later heightened with crayon, dedicating it to the book’s first owner, art dealer Henri Matarasso (1892–1985).
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