PABLO PICASSO 1881-1973Málaga 1881-1973 Mougins (Spanish)Title: Imaginary Portrait/ Portrait Imaginaire, 1969Technique: Plate Signed and Hand Numbered Lithograph in colours on Arches paperPaper Size: 66 x 50.4 cm / 26 x 19.8inImage Size: 63.5 x 48.3 cm / 25 x 19 in Additional Information: This color lithograph is signed in the plate "Picasso" at the upper right corner. The work is hand numbered in pencil "A 45/250" at the lower left corner and dated in the plate "5-6.4.69" above the signature.Two editions of the lithographs exist: The "A" edition and the "F" edition. Each consists of 250 lithographs and each piece is numbered 1-250. The "A" edition was reserved for America and the "F" edition was reserved for France. Our impression is from the American edition.The paper has a stamp on the bottom right margin verso, stating in French that this lithograph was executed by Marecel Salinas after a painting on cardboard by Picasso.In early 1969, art supplies arrived at Picasso's studio in Mougins on the French Riviera. Large panels of cardboard had been used to ship the supplies. The supplies were uncrated and the boxes and other shipping materials were set aside against a wall in Picasso's studio. Rather than seeing large pieces of cardboard, Picasso saw 29 canvases awaiting his brush, and at the age of 87 he created 29 portraits which would come to be known as the Portraits Imaginaire or Imaginairy Portraits. Each portrait was created in gouache with simple and brilliant colors. Under Picasso's personal supervision, and with the expertise of one of France's leading lithographers, Marcel Salinas, lithographs were created in the image of the 29 original Portraits Imaginaire. Proofs of the lithographs were submitted to Picasso who corrected them and noted his "bon a tirer" (meaning they were "good to print"). It took a year to create the lithographs. Upon completion, the plates were destroyed. Each print is hand numbered and carries, in the plate, the signature of Picasso as it appears on the orginal gouache. Picasso did not hand sign any of the Portraits Imaginaire lithographs.Condition: Good condition. Very light discolouration of the paper due to previous matting. Very vivid and bright colours.