Picasso, Lady at Eden Concert, blue period 1903

- Lady at Edén Concert. Picasso, 1903. Oil on canvas, 80 x 59 cm.
Blue period, inspired in Fernande Olivier

In 1992, Miguel Sanz Blasco, joint owner of the painting, then has a violent dispute with Josep Palau i Fabre ("official biographer" of the Picasso Museum of Barcelona, dependent on the City Council and the Generalitat de Cataluña), who "certifies" Picasso paintings using a hearing aid stuck to his ear, waiting to hear Picasso's voice.
In fact, in agreement with Picasso Administration, S.A., what Palau i Fabre really wanted was to unduly acquire the painting at a ridiculous price, as is his usual practice.

Alarmed, Miguel Sanz Blasco entrusts the assessment and direction of this painting to Rómulo-Antonio Tenés, Picasso biographer recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Culture, art investigator and painter with academic training.

Scientific Authenticity Tests

Comparative evidence

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Picasso's signature is situated in the top right hand corner, and on top of it seen with sidelighting, the year this canvas was painted can be seen: 1903.

The Swiss Institute for Art Research of Zurich (SIK) and Dr. Francesc Servera Figueiras certify that the signature belongs to its period and that the pigments are integrated in the surface of the canvas. The pigments are identical to those of 59 other paintings by Picasso of the blue period.

The story of "Dama en Edén Concert" has been published in the newspapers "Presse Ocean" on the 24th of July 2002, "International Herald Tribune", "The New York Times" on the 23rd of October 2004 and "Al-Seyassah" on the 9th of November 2004.

International Herald Tribune

The New York Times
23rd of October 2004

Presse Ocean

24 th of July 2002

France

Barcelona 1903. Historical Antecedents

Based on Fernande Olivier, Dama en Edén Concert, oil on canvas, painted in Barcelona in 1903 by Pablo Ruiz Picasso who, returning to Paris and during a short visit to Spain, stayed for a few weeks with the brothers de Soto at number 10 of the Nou de las Ramblas Street, building which still exists. Number 12 of this street was the Cabaret Edén Concert (at present the Parking Edén and Hotel Güell). In 1903 Picasso already knew Fernande Olivier (artist's model), who moves in with him in august of 1904.

This painting stands out as one of the most beautiful from Picasso's blue period, and is attracting a great deal of interest amongst collectors and art investors who will now be able to purchase it.

Thanks to this painting, without question the most analyzed of those painted by Picasso, it has been scientifically established that the young Picasso began to draw in 1899, and to paint in 1900 (La Chata, 1899). Consequently the works attributed to Picasso from 1891 to 1897 are, in the majority, by José Ruiz Blasco, father of Picasso. Therefore, the works of José Ruiz must be necessarily separated from those of Picasso in the Museums of Paris, Barcelona and Málaga, lawsuit filed in the Central Trial Court in Madrid (Spain). This discovery goes against the interests of Picasso Administration, S.A., a profit-making company, which has to confront, despite its silence, the following evidence:

a) Swiss Institute for Art Research of Zurich , University of Lausanne, Switzerland (Schweizerisches Institut für Kunstwissenschaft).

b) Dr. Francesc Servera Figueiras of the University of Barcelona (chemical engineer and expert in artwork).

c) Geneva: various signatures by Picasso have been detected in the underlayer of the painting "Lady at Eden Concert" after having applied infrared lighting.

d) Forensic handwriting expert and graphologist Rosa Torrents Botey.

e) Pierre de Champris, Picasso's friend (art historian) and Henri Calvet.

f) Certificate of the Comité Picasso (SPADEM). Notified to Picasso Administration S.A., who, because of their exclusive financial interest, have evidently remained silent.

g) Rómulo-Antonio Tenés, author of this discovery (art expert and investigator).

Extract of the article published in The New York Times and International Herald Tribune on the 23rd of October 2004.

"Dama en Edén Concert", since its purchase to Picasso in 1903, belonged to the titular heir of the House of the Duke of Prim and Marquis of Castillejos, of Reus, Tarragona (Spain). After the Spanish Civil War (1939) this work was donated by way of unpaid salaries to Vicente Gayubar, employee of the Prim House, whose heirs, Benjamín Vicente Gayubar and María Pérez Otón (now a widow), maintained it until 1992 in the 2 de Mayo Street, number 221, 4º 3ª in Barcelona.

In the painting "Dama en Edén Concert", the lady holds a glass bordered with nickel. The round tables are of white marble, tables and glasses, exactly the same as the ones in the Cabaret Edén Concert, situated at number 12 of the Conde de Asalto Street (at present Nou de las Ramblas).