Column Chronicles: Picasso's stick figures sell for billions

Picasso's stick figures sell for billions

Frank Cotolo
June 9, 2022

In a dusty basement somewhere in northern France, art collectors discovered a slew of drawings and paintings, all verified to be from Pablo Picasso's Stick Figure Period. Debated by many art historians as a myth, the famous artist apparently had an early fascination with stick figures and produced many works now said to be worth billions.

"They're amazing," said Sir Wally Wickbatter, a veteran art critic and collector wanted in 14 countries. "Some are tall and lanky, while others are short and fat. That Picasso could establish such depth in stick figures is brilliant."

One set of drawings in a pad displayed a stick figure running if the viewer flipped the hundred pages with the stick figure drawn on each one.

"It may be the first moving cartoon,: said Whitney Whitely Wurbin, who owns Picasso's first adult vest.

"He was experimenting," said Eli Cottongin, whose book on Picasso was number one twice, number two once and is still on the top 10 list of Best Books About Artists Who Never Painted Sheep. "Picasso had many periods when he worked on specific types of art, so legend had it that early in his life as an artist he used stick figures before he moved on to objects with depth and realistic features. Now we know it is not a legend. Picasso produced hundreds of pieces of art featuring the most elemental type of figure every artist learns at the beginning of a career. In Picasso's case, we know it is early because he did a self portrait stick figure and he included hair with simple lines coming out of the skull."

Art Dealer, an art dealer, who spent months evaluating the stick figure items, said, "I titled each item. Stick Figure Dancer is easily worth a few million. Stick Figure Fisherman Without Bait is a painting now going for $10 million. Stick Figures Making Love On A Burning Mattress, a collection of 56 sketches, will easily go for $35 million."

The Stick Figure sculptures, all sans genitals, are guaranteed to bring the collection into the billions at an auction soon.

Frank Cotolo can be found hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles. You can send him an e-mail at this address: frank@148.ca.