Pablo Picasso

Cock

1932, cast 1952

© Succession Picasso/DACS 2022

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Not on display

Artist: Pablo Picasso 1881–1973
Original title: Coq
Medium: Bronze
Dimensions: Object: 655 × 582 × 395 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Purchased 1953
Reference: N06023

Display caption

Picasso made this work at the Château de Boisgeloup, near Gisors, which he had purchased in 1931. He turned the stables into a sculpture studio, and between 1931-4 produced there some of his most important sculptures. Most of these were of the female figure, represented in curving, organic forms, but he also produced three works on the theme of the cock, a subject which may well have been connected to his move to the countryside. The cock's body is composed of spiky, elongated forms, each of which has a strongly separate identity although subordinated to the animated whole.

Gallery label, August 2004

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Catalogue entry

Pablo Picasso 1881-1973

N06023 Coq (Cock) 1932

Inscribed '1/6' and founder's stamp 'CIRE | C. VALSUANI | PERDUE' on side of base
Bronze, 25 5/8 x 21 ¾ x 12 ½ (65 x 55 x 32)
Purchased from the Galerie Louise Leiris (Grant-in-Aid) 1953
Prov: With Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris (purchased from the artist)
Lit: Werner Spies, Picasso Sculpture (London 1972), No.134, pp.100, 304, repr. p.131
Repr: Daniel Henry Kahnweiler, The Sculptures of Picasso (London 1949), pl.57; John Rothenstein, The Tate Gallery (London 1958), pl.17

Picasso made this work at the Château de Boisgeloup, near Gisors, which he had purchased in 1931. He turned the stables into a sculpture studio and in 1931-4 produced there some of his most important sculptures. Though most were of the female figure, they also included this 'Cock' and 'Head of a Heifer', both made in 1932, and another two smaller sculptures of a 'Cock' made the following year. The choice of these particular animal themes was no doubt connected with his move to the countryside.

Published in:
Ronald Alley, Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists, Tate Gallery and Sotheby Parke-Bernet, London 1981, p.606, reproduced p.606