The Wheat of Virgin Spaces

Painted in Paris in the winter of 1902/3, and measuring just 30.5 x 24cm, this superb watercolour is one of Picasso’s most striking absinthe-related works - and, I think, the earliest. Picasso met Cornuty in Barcelona during one of the most difficult periods of his life, and the portrait of the rail-thin poet, emaciated and drawn and realised in sombre grey and blue shades, show the ravages of poverty and alcoholism. It’s the highlight of the remarkable collection formed by Andre Lefevre, and will be auctioned in Paris on December 21st. Estimate €1 500 000 to €2 500 000. Lefevre orginally bought the wwatercolour in 1966, for the then impressive sum of 160 000 francs. I’ll post the actual price realised after the sale.

A wonderful work by the late 19th century French master Jean Beraud was sold on auction in Fontainebleau earlier this week. Absinthe features prominently in many of Beraud’s painting of cafe life, and this piece is no exception. Price realised was EUR 60 000, plus 17% commission and fees.

A large original oil of Edouard Pernod, eponymous owner of the famous distillery, was for me one of the highlights of the Absinthiades. It was on loan froma  well known collector, and has never before been shown in public. What a great face!

To Auvers-sur-Oise, where a small absinthe antiques market was held at Marie Claude Delahayes’ Musee d’Absinthe. All the usual crowd were there - small time dealers, collectors looking to exchange duplicates, bemused onlookers who’d wandered off the street. As is often the case, the interesting business was done in private, away from the tables…

Auvers-sur-Oise, about 45 minutes north of Paris, was the home of Van Gogh - he’s buried, alongside his devoted brother Theo (who only survived him by a year), in the small cemetery on the hill above the village. Near the cemetery are the fields where he painted many of his most famous works - and the crows he often depicted still come out at sunset and fly low over the grass. It’s an odly unspoilt and touching place - although close to Paris it’s hard to get to by train or bus, and so has been spared the worst of the tourist onslaught.