Christie's is delighted to present the top lot of the 20th Century Evening Sale on May 11, 2023 during the Spring Marquee Week of sales, Pablo Picasso's Nature morte à la fenêtre (estimate on request; in the region of $40,000,000). This monumental 1932 portrait of the artist's beloved muse Marie-Thérèse Walter is a testament to the powerful influence she had on Picasso's work, and marks the first time the work has ever been offered at auction.

Vanessa Fusco, Christie's Head of Impressionist and Modern Art, and Co-Head of 20th Century Evening Sale, remarks, “Marie-Thérèse's presence in Picasso's life reinvigorated every area of his work, her statuesque form, radiant beauty, and carefree sensibility inspiring the artist to create works that stand among the finest of his entire career. Nature morte à la fenêtre is a remarkable example of this, and a reminder of the great flourishing of activity she inspired in his art.”

Giovanna Bertazzoni, Christie's Vice Chairman of 20th and 21st Century Art, adds, “We are honored to showcase this masterpiece at Christie's New York, as we celebrate Picasso's contribution to the history of art and legacy this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of his death.”

Nature morte à la fenêtre was painted in January of 1932, a pivotal year for the artist. Picasso was inspired by the forms of Marie-Thérèse Walter, whose classical profile, curves and cropped hair came to dominate every aspect of his output in the early 1930s. This painting was shown in the renowned Picasso retrospective at the Galeries Georges Petit in Paris during the summer of 1932, and then traveled to the Kunsthaus Zürich for Picasso's inaugural museum show later that year. It remained in the artist's personal collection for the rest of his life, hidden from public view until the 1980s. This May, Nature morte à la fenêtre will be offered at auction for the first time, offering a unique opportunity to acquire a work from Picasso's remarkable annus mirabilis.