Wendy Ramshaw C.B.E. R.D.I. (British 1939-2018) §
Coiled Necklaces, 1997
Auction: 27 October 2023 from 11:00 BST
Description
pair of necklaces, from Picasso's Ladies series, coloured beads, red, yellow and blue on coiled steel wire
Dimensions
approximately 29cm long (11 1/2in long)
Provenance
Provenance
Given by the artist to the current owner.
Literature
Picasso's Ladies: Jewellery by Wendy Ramshaw, Arnoldsche Art Publishers, 1998, cat. no.51, for similar examples illustrated as Coiled Necklaces for Françoise.
Ramshaw's notes on Coiled Necklaces for Françoise:
'Picasso probably painted this portrait of Françoise Gilot about 1951, whilst Claude and Paloma were still children. The portrait has a childlike quality: she has a tiny pin head and large hands. Françoise appears to be seated in an armchair. The colours are bright and primary, the execution ordered, but free.
The pairs of necklaces consist of wires loaded with coloured beads in the red, yellow and blue of the painting. They are coiled and sprung, which makes them bounce when worn, giving a pleasing sense of movement. When resting upon the breast, the necklaces echo the spiral lines of the portrait which may refer to the breath in the lungs beneath. The beads used in the necklaces are those which have been traded and worn by African Masai for generations. The coils and springs, however, are reminiscent of the American sculptor, Calder. Sophisticated and primitive ornamentation come together and mirror the ordered freedom of the painting,' (Picasso's Ladies, p.166)