The Lovers
1923
Artist, Spanish, 1881 - 1973


East Building Ground Level, Gallery 103-B
Artwork overview
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Medium
oil on linen
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Credit Line
-
Dimensions
overall: 130.2 x 97.2 cm (51 1/4 x 38 1/4 in.)
framed: 161.9 x 128.3 cm (63 3/4 x 50 1/2 in.) -
Accession
1963.10.192
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Copyright
© 2012 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
More About this Artwork

Article: 34 Artworks About Love at the National Gallery
From first kisses to tragic romances, our collection abounds with love, in all its forms.
Artwork history & notes
Provenance
Purchased from the artist by Paul Rosenberg;[1] sold to Miss Mary Hoyt Wiborg, New York, by 1927;[2] sold 12 February 1938 through (Valentine Gallery, New York, and possibly Paul P. Rosenberg et Cie., Paris) to Chester Dale [1883-1962], New York;[3] bequest 1963 to NGA.
[1] It is unclear whether Rosenberg purchased painting as a dealer or for his private collection. When purchased directly from the artist, it is assumed here that the painting became part of his private collection. When involved in a later transaction, as here from Wiborg to Dale, it is assumed that Rosenberg was acting as a dealer.
[2] Miss Wiborg lent painting to the Reinhardt Gallery's 1927 exhibition Loan Exhibition of Paintings from El Greco and Rembrandt to Cezanne and Matisse.
[3] Valentine Gallery's receipt to Mr. and Mrs. Dale includes the comment "on order from abroad" and also indicates that a commission was paid, but does not name Rosenberg. Rosenberg is named in other, slightly conflicting, information from the Dale Papers that lists the provenance one time as "...later Miss Wiborg sold it to the Chester Dale Collection through Paul Rosenberg" and another as "Mr. Dale bought the picture from the collection of Miss Mary Hoyt Wiborg through Valentine Dudensing [owner of Valentine Gallery]". It seems possible that Miss Wiborg, having originally purchased the painting from Rosenberg, returned it there from whence it was sold to Dale through Valentine.
Associated Names
Exhibition History
1927
Loan Exhibition of Paintings from El Greco and Rembrandt to Cezanne and Matisse, Reinhardt Galleries, New York, 1927, no. 25, repro.
1929
Harvard Society of Contemporary Art, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1929.
1930
Painting in Paris, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1930, no. 72A.
1931
Pablo R. Picasso. An Exhibition of Paintings, Demotte Inc., New York, 1931, unnumbered catalogue, repro.
1932
Exposition Picasso, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 1932, no. 133.
1943
Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection, Art Institute of Chicago, 1943-1952 (extended loan).
1952
Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1952, no. 55, repro.
1965
The Chester Dale Bequest, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1965, unnumbered checklist.
1978
Aspects of Twentieth-Century Art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1978-1979, no. 29, repro.
1980
Picasso: The Saltimbanques, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1980, no. 69.
2010
From Impressionism to Modernism: The Chester Dale Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, January 2010-January 2012, unnumbered catalogue, repro.
Bibliography
1932
Zervos, Christian. Pablo Picasso. 33 vols. Paris, 1932-1978: 5(1952): no. 14, pl. 8.
1943
Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. The Art Institute of Chicago, 1943:, color frontispiece.
1952
Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1952 (2nd ed., 1960; rev. ed., 1965): 55, repro.
1960
Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1960 (2nd ed.): 57, repro.
1965
Twentieth Century French Paintings & Sculpture of the French School in the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965 (rev. ed.): 76, repro.
Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 101.
1968
National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 90, repro.
1975
European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 266, repro.
1984
Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 608, no. 944, color repro.
1985
European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 307, repro.
1997
Gebhardt, Volker. Kunstgeschichte Malerei. 1997: no. 221, repro.
1998
Román, Lydia Vélez. Sigamos, Lecturas Literarias y Culturales. 1998: 46, repro.
2004
Hand, John Oliver. National Gallery of Art: Master Paintings from the Collection. Washington and New York, 2004: 417, no. 349, color repro.
Inscriptions
lower right: Picasso 23
Wikidata ID
Q20192443