Later this month, the auction of 20th-century art at Christie's London will include a portrait by Pablo Picasso. Currently owned by an anonymous European collector, "Femme assist dans un fauteuil noir" (Woman sitting in a black armchair) was painted in 1962.
The painting depicts Picasso's second wife Jacqueline sitting quite regally in a throne-like chair, evoking a sense of power and authority which apparently enthralled the artist. They married in 1961 and remained so until his death in 1973.
The portrait of his muse is estimated to sell for UK£6 - 9 million. The painting sold in 2015 at Sotheby's for US$8 million. Will it sell for more? Stay tuned!
The original article appeared on Barrons.com, March 5, 2021.