This subject made in 1962 illustrates a turning point in the artist’s linocut practice, he indeed decides to represent relief and volumes in linoleum, which is a material that lends itself to flatness! It represents the culmination of his research at introducing modelling using only one linoleum block. Picasso worked how to do this in three days, between the 6th and 9th February 1962, with the first three subjects looking like exercises on how to cut the linoleum to get some “cross hatching” effects followed by two subjects, where he uses two blocks – one for the modelling and the other for the outline, and finally Jacqueline lisant, de trois quart, where he combines modelling and outline on one block.
Jacqueline lisant, de trois quarts is unpublished so of the utmost rarity. Brigitte Baer records two impressions of the first state as is our impression, and six impressions across all states, however we know of seven. We believe our impression is the last one available. It equally has an impeccable provenance coming from the printer’s archives.
It is powerful and in the meantime Jacqueline is very restrain because lost in her thoughts, a wonderful dichotomy. Had there been an edition, it might have become one of the most sought-after Picasso linocuts.