L'Aurore (The Dawn)
Original Print, Linocut on Arches wove paper • Pablo Picasso
Style & Movement
Modernism / Cubist-inflected Surrealism
Medium & Technique
Linocut printed in colors (blue, green, brown, and black) with distinctive gouging and relief carving techniques typical of the Vallauris period
Creation Period
1962
Dimensions & Format
Landscape format, approximately 27 x 33 cm (image), framed to approximately 50 x 60 cm
Subject Description
A pastoral landscape scene featuring several nude figures in a state of rest or awakening. The composition includes a reclining figure in the background and dancing/seated figures in the foreground, set against a dark mountain and a high-contrast decorative sky with dynamic white scrolling lines representing clouds or light
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Very Good; the colors appear vibrant and the paper lacks obvious foxing or staining, though there is slight evidence of edge toning near the mat
Estimated Market Value
$10,000 - $25,000 (if hand-signed and numbered edition of 50); $500 - $1,500 (if from the 1962/63 Abrams edition)
Auction Estimate
$8,000 - $15,000 (standard signed edition) or $400 - $800 (uncredited trade edition)
Provenance History
Likely acquired from a gallery specializing in Picasso lithographs and linocuts; part of an edition of 50 or from the later 'Picasso Linocuts' published by Harry N. Abrams in 1962/1963
Art Historical Significance
Represents Picasso's mastery of the linocut medium which he revolutionized in the late 1950s and early 1960s in collaboration with the printer Hidalgo Arnéra in Vallauris. It exemplifies his ability to synthesize landscape and the human form using simplified blocks of color
Notable Features
Highly decorative white line work in the upper quadrant; signature 'Picasso' is typically seen in the lower margin or within the plate; housed in a high-quality Rococo-influenced stepped black and gold frame
Condition Issues
Possible minor light-fading if previously exposed to UV; slight mat burn from non-archival materials if original to the framing
Conservation Recommendations
Ensure the use of UV-protective museum glass and acid-free mounting materials. Keep away from direct heat sources like the lamp shown in the image to prevent thermal expansion/contraction of paper