Skip to Content
Today Open today 11–8

Le Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu (The Unknown Masterpiece)

A work made of book with 12 etchings hors-texte, 67 wood engravings, and crayon, with black morocco binding.
© 2018 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Image actions

  • A work made of book with 12 etchings hors-texte, 67 wood engravings, and crayon, with black morocco binding.

Date:

published 1931, reworked late 1950s

Artist:

Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973)
written by Honoré de Balzac (French, 1799-1850)
etched by Louis Fort (French, 19th-20th century) and engraved by Georges Aubert (French, 1886-1961)
published by Ambroise Vollard (French, 1867-1939)
binding by Henri Creuzevault (French, 1905-1971)

About this artwork

Picasso’s illustrations for Honoré de Balzac’s short story The Unknown Masterpiece included engravings, line drawings, and etchings. Balzac’s tale of a misunderstood artist who works in secret on an “unknown masterpiece,” appealed to Picasso. He made unusual line and dot drawings, which he later heightened with crayon, dedicating it to the book’s first owner, art dealer Henri Matarasso (1892–1985).

Status

On View, Gallery 126

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Pablo Picasso

Title

Le Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu (The Unknown Masterpiece)

Place

Spain (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1931

Medium

Book with 12 etchings hors-texte, 67 wood engravings, and crayon, with black morocco binding

Dimensions

32.5 × 25.3 cm (12 13/16 × 10 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of Maxine Kunstadter

Reference Number

1978.645

Copyright

© 2018 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Learn more

Image actions

Share