And four years after selling several works by Pablo Picasso at Christie's Paris, Marina Picasso is once again sending shock-waves through the art market.
In early January, The New York Post published a surprising article on Page Six, the offshoot of the journal normally reserved for ‘gossip’, revealing how the granddaughter of the master of Modern art wished to rid herself of at least seven more paintings. The works could realize a total of $290 million including: $50 million for Maternité (1921), $60 million for Femme a la Mandoline (1911) and a portrait of her first wife, dating back to 1923, entitled Portrait de femme (Olga) estimated at $60 million.
Profits from the sales will fund social projects led by Ms. Picasso. Last year Marina Picasso explained; “I am selling my paintings to give myself a reason to exist… I spent part of my own childhood in great poverty. For many years, I couldn’t look at my grandfather’s work because, to me, they represented immense suffering.”
Today aged 64, Geneva-based Marina Picasso has decided to sell these pieces without the help of an auction house according to Page Six. The artist’s granddaughter worked with Jean Krugier until 2008, the year of the art dealer’s death. She explained that she had a large enough network in order to find buyers and that she would sell each piece according to the projects she was undertaking and the financial aid that they would need.
However, in an article written by the New York Times by Doreen Caravajal, the author calls in to question some of the information revealed by the New York Post. The sums announced in the first article apparently seem unrealistic, whilst the article seems somewhat like an advertising ploy on behalf of Ms. Picasso. Caravajal also goes on to speculate as to whether the artist’s granddaughter could flood the market, but is it really possible to flood the market of an artist whose auction turnover amounted to $449 million in 2014?
It has also been reported that she was rather disappointed by the sale organised by Sotheby’s in Paris during which two works, Femme assise en robe grise (1943), and Palette et Tête de Taureau (1938) realized €5.2 million.
In early January, The New York Post published a surprising article on Page Six, the offshoot of the journal normally reserved for ‘gossip’, revealing how the granddaughter of the master of Modern art wished to rid herself of at least seven more paintings. The works could realize a total of $290 million including: $50 million for Maternité (1921), $60 million for Femme a la Mandoline (1911) and a portrait of her first wife, dating back to 1923, entitled Portrait de femme (Olga) estimated at $60 million.
Profits from the sales will fund social projects led by Ms. Picasso. Last year Marina Picasso explained; “I am selling my paintings to give myself a reason to exist… I spent part of my own childhood in great poverty. For many years, I couldn’t look at my grandfather’s work because, to me, they represented immense suffering.”
Today aged 64, Geneva-based Marina Picasso has decided to sell these pieces without the help of an auction house according to Page Six. The artist’s granddaughter worked with Jean Krugier until 2008, the year of the art dealer’s death. She explained that she had a large enough network in order to find buyers and that she would sell each piece according to the projects she was undertaking and the financial aid that they would need.
However, in an article written by the New York Times by Doreen Caravajal, the author calls in to question some of the information revealed by the New York Post. The sums announced in the first article apparently seem unrealistic, whilst the article seems somewhat like an advertising ploy on behalf of Ms. Picasso. Caravajal also goes on to speculate as to whether the artist’s granddaughter could flood the market, but is it really possible to flood the market of an artist whose auction turnover amounted to $449 million in 2014?
It has also been reported that she was rather disappointed by the sale organised by Sotheby’s in Paris during which two works, Femme assise en robe grise (1943), and Palette et Tête de Taureau (1938) realized €5.2 million.
“I am not upset, but I had hoped that the prices would take off. I didn’t feel any enthusiasm even if these works didn’t sell for below their estimates. These days, generosity is not on the agenda.”
