Mademoiselle Bellet (acquired by 1939)
Galerie Paul Vallotton, Lausanne (acquired by 1939-40)
Dr. Christoph Bernoulli, Basel (acquired by 1940)
Peter Bernoulli, Kilchberg (by descent from the above)
Galerie Pels-Leusden, Zurich
Acquired from the above by the present owner

New York, Curt Valentin Gallery, Pablo Picasso, 1920-25, 1952, no. 41, illustrated in the catalogue
Basel, Kunstmuseum, Canto d'Amore, Klassizistische Moderne in Musik und bildender Kunst 1914-1935, 1996, no. 271

Christian Zervos, Pablo Picasso, œuvres de 1923 à 1925, Paris, 1952, vol. V, no. 120, illustrated pl. 61
Douglas Cooper, Picasso Theatre, Paris, 1967, illustrated p. 57
Ulrich Weisner, Picassos Klassizismus, Werke 1914-34, Bielefeld, 1988, illustrated p. 113
The Picasso Project, Picasso's Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Sculpture. Neoclassicism II, 1922-1924, San Francisco, 1996, no. 23-164, illustrated p. 161

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, attached to the mount at two points along the upper and lower edges towards the corners, floating in the mount. The lower and right edges of the sheet are deckled. Apart from a tiny supported nick to the left of the lower edge and some very light time staining to the sheet, this work is in good original condition.
"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."

The present drawing is an outstanding example of the elegant Neo-Classical style which dominated Picasso's work during the 1920s. The emergence of this period marked a dramatic shift from the uncompromising abstraction of his Cubist works executed not long before, both in terms of technique and subject matter. Foremost in Picasso's work, however, was the return of figuration and his interest in naturalistic representation. Frequently referred to as the 'return to order', this drastic change of direction, which followed the upheaval of World War I, is evident in the works of many other European artists of the 1920s, including Giorgio de Chirico and Fernand Léger. Amidst the chaos, unpredictability and uneasiness caused by the war, many artists turned to the more traditional classical style. Jeune homme au miroir, nu, joueur de flute de pan, enfant utilises a balanced, pyra﷽midal composition to create a sense of timelessness aᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚnd harmony.

Picasso's strong interest in and employment of traditional Western iconography and Greco-Roman art during his Neo-Classical phase is captured in this drawing. Picasso has placed his figures in stylised and archetypal poses: they lean in the classical contrapposto position while serenely playing the panflute or holding a mirror for a lover. The two figures at the left of the composition suggest imagery of Venus and Mars. The boy overlooking them is reminiscent of Cupid or a putto. Picasso evokes the abiding theme of harmonious, peaceful love – it is the spare, elegant line that marks this drawing as modern. Picasso utilised similar classical iconography in his oil paintings throughout this period (fig. 1). However, his interest in classical themes extended throughout his career. As recent exhibitions such as Picasso and the Masters (held at the Grand Palais, Paris, 2008) have shown, Picasso's brilliance lies in his abilit🍬y to engage with the most time-honoured themes and reinterpret them with his totally unique vision.

Fig. 1, Pablo Picasso, La flûte de pan, 1923, oil on canvas, Musée Picasso, Paris