Picasso

Joseph H. Hirshhorn, founding donor of the Smithsonian Institution’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, was an avid collector and supporter of Picasso. The two became friends after being introduced by photographer Edward Steichen. The original dark purple cloth publisher's binding of this monograph is embossed with a gold gilt facsimile of Picasso’s signature. Picasso’s real signature is inside the Hirshhorn Library’s copy. On the front free endpaper, there is an inscription: “Pour Joe Hirshhorn, Picasso, le 25-7-69”, plus a small, original Picasso sketch of a bearded man with curly hair. An acquisition note is handwritten in pencil on the gutter of the verso of the title page: “5-26-95 Olga [Hirshhorn] gift”.

Vibrant and well-illustrated, this book features 48 full-page color plates, annotated by art critic Keith Sutton, as well as an analysis of Picasso’s career and his place in 20th century art.