Pablo Picasso redefined artwork throughout his extraordinary career, becoming indisputably one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. In this evocative volume, the artist’s granddaughter, Diana Widmaier Picasso, curates the 100 quintessential, unique works that define the evolution of this illustrious artist, creating a stunning compendium of pieces that simply could never all be acquired by a single collector. Casual art lovers know his Cubist work and the Guernica, but Picasso: The Impossible Collection manages to go deeper, revealing and revisiting some less ubiquitous yet equally powerful paintings, prints, sculptures and photographs from Picasso’s astonishing oeuvre.
Complimentary white gloves and signature canvas tote bag are included with each purchase from Assouline's Ultimate Collection
Diana Widmaier Picasso is an art historian and exhibition curator. After gaining her Master’s in private law at Paris-Assas University and a history of art degree at Paris-Sorbonne, she began work as an expert in Old Master drawings at Sotheby’s. She is currently preparing a catalogue raisonné of the sculptures of Pablo Picasso. Diana has written numerous essays on her grandfather and has been the curator of major exhibitions including Picasso and Marie-Thérèse: L’amour fou (Gagosian Gallery, New York, 2011), Picasso.mania (Grand Palais, Paris, 2015–16), Picasso and Maya: Father and Daughter (Galerie Gagosian, Paris, 2017) and Picasso. La scultura (Galleria Borghese, Rome, 2018–19). Additionally, she is the co-founder and chief artistic officer of the jewelry company Menē, which crafts 24-karat gold and platinum investment jewelry, transparently sold by gram weight.
Assouline’s Ultimate Collection is an homage to the art of luxury bookmaking. Hand-bound using traditional techniques, with color plates hand-tipped on art-quality paper, each page of this limited-edition series bears the unique imprint of the artisan. Treating a range of topics from jewelry and fashion, fine art and the ‘Impossible Collections,’ the Ultimate Collection curates culture from around the world and across the ages. Nestled in linen clamshell presentation cases, these books attract collectors, lovers of the printed page, and those who devour the culture of our time. Signaling a new level of sophistication for true connoisseurs, these unique books are works of art in their own right.
