Nude on a black armchair
Encyclopedia
Nude in a Black Armchair (Nu au Fauteuil
Noir) is a portrait painted by Pablo Picasso
on March 9, 1932 of his mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter
.
In 1999 it was bought by Les Wexner
, founder of Limited Brands
, for 45.1 million USD. Wexner then donated the piece to the Wexner Center for the Arts
at The Ohio State University, for which he had provided major funding.
Former Museum of Modern Art curator William Rubin deemed it a "squishy sexual toy,"
with other critics describing a theme of fecundity being mutually displayed by both the female figure and the plant. The first and the largest of a series of 1932 Marie-Thérèse Walter portraits, Picasso lived outside of Paris, in Boisgeloup, at the time. It is important critically as it shows the give and take between Henri Matisse
and Picasso, where Picasso "borrowed Matisse's voluptuous curves as a sign for pleasure and his use of black to intensify pink" according to the art critic, Richard Lacayo.
Fauteuil
A fauteuil is a style of open-arm chair with a primarily exposed wooden frame originating in France in the early 18th century. A fauteuil is made of wood, and frequently with carved relief ornament. It is typically upholstered on the seat, the seat back and on the arms . Some fauteuils have a...
Noir) is a portrait painted by Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
on March 9, 1932 of his mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter
Marie-Thérèse Walter
Marie-Thérèse Walter was the French mistress and model of Pablo Picasso from 1927 to about 1935, and the mother of his daughter, Maya Widmaier-Picasso. Their relationship began when she was seventeen years old; he was 45 and still living with his first wife, Olga Khokhlova...
.
In 1999 it was bought by Les Wexner
Les Wexner
Leslie "Les" H. Wexner is an American businessman from Columbus, Ohio, and currently chairman and CEO of the Limited Brands corporation.-Professional:...
, founder of Limited Brands
Limited Brands
Limited Brands is an American apparel company based in Columbus, Ohio. In 2009 it reported 9.04 billion dollars in revenue for the last fiscal year.-History:...
, for 45.1 million USD. Wexner then donated the piece to the Wexner Center for the Arts
Wexner Center for the Arts
The Wexner Center for the Arts is The Ohio State University’s multidisciplinary, international laboratory for the exploration and advancement of contemporary art...
at The Ohio State University, for which he had provided major funding.
Former Museum of Modern Art curator William Rubin deemed it a "squishy sexual toy,"
with other critics describing a theme of fecundity being mutually displayed by both the female figure and the plant. The first and the largest of a series of 1932 Marie-Thérèse Walter portraits, Picasso lived outside of Paris, in Boisgeloup, at the time. It is important critically as it shows the give and take between Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primarily as a painter...
and Picasso, where Picasso "borrowed Matisse's voluptuous curves as a sign for pleasure and his use of black to intensify pink" according to the art critic, Richard Lacayo.