PICASSO PABLO: (1881-1973) Spanish painter, a co-founder of the Cubist movement. A wonderful and vibrantly illustrated A.L.S., Picasso, two pages, slim 4to (approximately 10.5 x 27.5 cm), Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie, Mougins, Alpes-Maritimes, 23rd October 1962, to Max [Pellequer] (´Mon cher Max´), in French. The artist sends his correspondent more papers, with his thanks, and continues to provide a snapshot of his relaxed life with his second wife and muse, Jacquelibe Roque, on the Cote d´Azur ´Il fait l´été nous nous sommes baignez au port hier encore et nous aurions pu aller encore aujourd´hui hier ce matin encore sur la plage et dejeuner sur le sable comme jusques à présent´ (Translation: ´It's summer, we went swimming at the port again yesterday and we could have gone again today yesterday or this morning again on the beach and had lunch on the sand as we have been doing until now´), further profusely expressing his gratitude to Pellequer, ´Merci et merci encore pour toute du travail que je vous donne avec tant d´histoire de contributions et maisons. Merci. Merci. Merci. Vous etes très bon pour moi´ (Translation: ´Thank you and thank you again for all the work I give you with so much history of contributions and houses. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You are very good to me´) and concluding by sending best wishes from himself and Jacqueline. To further reinforce the joy Picasso has found on his recent visit to the beach, the artist has added a delightful original drawing at the foot of his letter, executed in blue ink and various coloured crayons, depicting a magnificent, bright yellow sun in a clear blue sky, shining upon the deep blue Mediterranean sea, in which two bathers can be seen, and with a beach in the foreground upon which appear a number of other figures, some happily relaxing beneath bright orange parasols. To further illuminate his letter Picasso has underlined each Merci in orange crayon (a total of six times) and also underlined the name of his villa and the date in blue crayon at the head of the first page. A magnificent and rare illustrated letter by Picasso. A few very light, extremely minor creases, VG

Max Pellequer (1903-1973) French banker and art collector who would become Picasso´s private banker, financial adviser and close friend. Pellequer assembled an important collection of artworks in the 1920s and 1930s which included a number of significant early pieces by Picasso, as well as works by Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Joan Miro and others. Almost two hundred letters from Pellequer to Picasso are preserved in the Musee National Picasso in Paris.

In 1961, Picasso, who had discovered Mougins in 1936, bought Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie from the Guinness family as a wedding present for his future wife Jacqueline. Referred to by Picasso as the ´house of my dreams´, the large villa (set in three hectares and with views over the Bay of Cannes) would be the artist´s final residence.