An Original silkscreen print on silk, 1950, signed by the artist with a printed signature and date.

Artist: Pablo Picasso

Title: Bull, Suns and Foliage

Year: 1950

Edition: 100.

Printed by: Ascher

Size:  81.9 x 85.1 cm

Literature:  Rayner, Chamberlain and Stapleton “Artists textiles in Britain” - illustrated and described on page 49. Rayner, Chamberlain and Stapleton “Textile Design “Artists Textiles 1940 - 1976” Illustrated and described on page 87

Condition: Folds and stains as would be expected in an object of this age and type

Public Exhibitions: Fashion and textiles Museum, Bermondsey

Note : Artists had played a minor role in textile design in the early 1950’s but this was changed when in 1952 the ICA became involved in encouraging this oeuvre. Picasso made a gift to his friend Roland Penrose, a director of the ICA, of a design for this Limited Edition silk headscarf to raise funds for the newly formed Institute. The “Bulls and Sunflowers” design was originally drawn by the artist in the ICA visitors book in 1950. It was later used for a design of some graphic works and for the cover of the Institutes exhibition of Picasso drawings held to commemorate the artist’s 70th birthday in 1951. These items are rare today because the survival rate has not been high. Our example, in extremely good condition, has fine fresh colours. 

The concept of artists designed textiles became a popular one and was the subject of a recent exhibition of works in the Design Museum. Certain artists, including Picasso, Dali, Miro, and a coterie of British Artists such as Moore, Sutherland, Nicholson and Gear became quite involved in promoting this line of artistic endeavour. The oeuvre was associated with Fashion Design and built on the work original promoted by “The Ascher Project” of the 1940’s when a number of prominent artists had designed the celebrated “Artists squares”. This slightly later work was not part of that project but was, indeed, also made by Ascher.

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