"A Los Toros Avec (Set of Four) " by Pablo Picasso

A LOS TOROS

When I visted him at Vauvenargues, on April 21st, I gave the four lithos of the work; at the Publisher's request. I asked our friend, without much hope if he would agree to put some colours on these plates The black eyes glanced at me and he said: "Now then! you want some colour, Mourlot..." suspense.
"Jacqueline show them. up to the house..." My wife accompanied me and we then followed our hostess. The monumental staircase leads us to the rooms, here is the bath-room, immense, with a large greeen painted garden bench, a table and iron chairs; around the washstands a large decoration of leaves and flowers painted on the wall by the master of the house. We continue the visit and finally come back to the studio, where we are invited to come in. "You wanted some colour...here it is!" The picador had been decorated with quite a lot of wax pencils. I take a look at the pencial box: twenty four colours, all have been utilized. I am told that there are boxes with thirty-six colour crayons...
Back at the printing works, it has been necessary to make a tracing of each colour spot and take the exact tint before transferring this drawing to the stone; it is possible, although difficult, to obtain a good result with these waxen colours substituted for the lithographic crayon.
We have succeeded and have thus obtained this lithograph in twenty-four colours, plus the black. I believe that this time, it was our good friend Picasso who was somewhat astonished.