Christie’s will auction Picasso’s Angel Fernandez de Soto

Pablo Picasso: Retrato de Angel Fernandez de Soto

Another superstar comes to the Art market. Christie’s New York has announced that the marvellous Portrait of Angel Fernandez de Soto by Pablo Picasso will be offered at auction next November 8 th . The work was painted during Picasso’s blue period, and its quality is comparable to the Garçon a la pipe , sold at Sotheby’s for more than $104 million, and much more higher than the Femme aux bras croisés , auctioned at Christie’s for $55 million. The painting, often known as The absinthe drinker , was painted in 1903, at the height of the blue period, and is a deep and disturbing portrait of Picasso’s great friend in a café in Paris .

The work, which was previously at the collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber, is estimated by Christie’s at $40-60 million. Can this estimate be surpassed? Almost sure, given the high quality of the work and the exuberant sums usually paid for works by Pablo Picasso (author of the two more expensive paintings ever sold at auction). Can this canvas surpass the $104 million of the Garçon a la pipe ? Quite difficult, although not impossible. It’s almost sure, however, that the title of “most expensive painting ever sold” owned by Klimt’s Adele Bloch-bauer will remain unbeaten