Rosenberg & Helft, London (acquired from the artist; sale: Sotheby's, London, 9th December 1997, lot 244)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Executed on white laid paper, not laid down, attached to the mount at the top two corners. The edges remain visible when framed. This work is in very good original condition. Colours: The ink is black and not brown in the original. Overall there is more contrast in the original.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Picasso executed the present work while on holiday in Cannes with his wife Olga and son Paolo in August 1933, and the classical landscape denotes the timeless themes of the work; the male figure, craning extravagantly to peer at the sleeping woman, highlights Picasso's preoccupation with the nature of the 'male gaze' and the power of sight to facilitate possession and ownership. 

However, there is also a strong biographical element to this work, centering around Picasso's young lover Marie-Thérèse Walter, who is immediately recognisable as the sleeping woman by her idiosyncratic profile (fig. 1). Although Marie-Thérèse had entered Picasso's life at least as early as 1927, then aged only 18, her specific identity as his mistress was still very much hidden in 1933. This image of explicit voyeurism is an admission of Picasso's adultury, but also a form of self-justification, the erotic subject inviting the spectator to collaborate with 'Le Voyeur' in watching the young naked lover asleep. This remarkable work signifies how Picasso used art as a form of exorcism, assuaging his guilt through the creative act, and as a means of pursuing his lifelong desire for possession through the power of sight itself.

Comp: Walter
Marie-Thérèse Walter