Displaying items by tag: christian zervos

Cahiers d’Art, a famed French literary journal and publisher of visual arts, will re-release its definitive catalogue of works by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). The long out-of-print work titled Zervos Picasso Catalogue after Cahiers d’Art’s founder, Christian Zervos, is comprised of 33 volumes and features over 16,000 paintings and drawings that were amassed during a long-lasting working relationship between Zervos and Picasso.

For the first time ever, the Zervos Picasso Catalogue will be available in English and it will include corrections to the original catalogue made in cooperation with the Picasso Administration, the organization responsible for managing the artist’s estate. Sotheby’s has been named the worldwide distributor of the catalogue, which will be available on December 15, 2013.

Founded in Paris in 1926, Cahiers d’Art was revered for its publications highlighting the most important artists of the early 20^th century. Zervos Picasso Catalogue is arguably the publisher’s most important work. With the earliest volumes dating back to 1932, complete sets of the catalogue are extremely uncommon. Staffan Ahrenberg, the current owner of Cahiers d’Art, said, “Christian Zervos dedicated his life to Picasso, and it is our great honor to continue the Zervos/Picasso story and legacy. I think it is essential for Zervos to be back in print and available to collectors, scholars, and trade.”

The publisher and art critic, Christian Zervos, founded the French art review, Cahiers d’Art, in 1926. The magazine ran without interruption from 1941 to 1943, until 1960 and featured artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Braque, Leger, Ernst, Calder, and Giacometti. Known for its striking layout and abundant photography, Cahiers d’Art also featured reviews written by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Samuel Beckett. After being out of production for more than fifty years, Cahiers d’Art has been reborn.

Swedish collector and entrepreneur, Staffan Ahrenberg, bought the dormant publication after he walked by the still-operating Cahier d’Art gallery along the rue du Dragon in Paris. Ahrenberg re-launched Cahiers d’Art with former Art Basel director Sam Keller and the renowned curator Hans Ulrich Obrist as editors. The first issue features Ellsworth Kelly, Cyprien Gaillard, and Sarah Morris. As in the past, Cahiers d’Art will not contain advertisements nor will it follow a regular production schedule.

Major art world players including Larry Gagosian, Guggenheim boss Richard Armstrong, and Alfred Pacquement of the Pompidou Centre gathered in a tiny Left Bank gallery in Paris to celebrate the review’s return.