The Edward Quinn Archive

Barbara Bagenal (née Hiles)

  • Restaurant Chez Félix. Pablo Picasso confirms the date (1906) and signs the drawing "La coiffure (Fernande) (Étude)". Cannes 1958. The present work has a fascinating provenance. In 1936, it was received by Barbara Bagenal as a gift from her admirer, Saxon Sydney-Turner, who had purchased it from the legendary Zwemmer Gallery in London. Barbara, an artist herself and wife of Nicholas Bagenal, moved in Bloomsbury circles with Virginia Woolf, Lytton Strachey, Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. Pablo Picasso had originally left the drawing unsigned but, as a 1958 note from Clive Bell attached to the backboard explains: "On February 1958. I took Mrs Bagenal to lunch with Pablo Picasso [in Cannes]. Madame Roque, Pablo Picasso, Mr Duncan and his wife made up the party. I spoke of the drawing. (..) On seeing it Pablo Picasso exclaimed "Dieu que c'est beau". He confirmed the date (1905) and signed the drawing with his 1958 signature. 'That will be a puzzle for art-historians some day', said he. 'To save art-historians trouble I have written this note'" (cf. Sotheby's London, #443, L04010, 22.6.2004). - Photo by Edward Quinn
  • Pablo Picasso and Barbara Bagenal, an artist herself and wife of Nicholas Bagenal, Félix Cenci. Dachshund Lump. In front of restaurant Chez Félix. Cannes 1958. - Photo by Edward Quinn
  • Pablo Picasso, Jacqueline and Barbara Bagenal, an artist herself and wife of Nicholas Bagenal. Félix Cenci behind her. In front of restaurant Chez Félix. Cannes 1958. - Photo by Edward Quinn
  • Pablo Picasso, Jacqueline, Félix Cenci, Clive Bell and Barbara Bagenal, an artist herself and wife of Nicholas Bagenal. Dachshund Lump. In front of restaurant Chez Félix. Cannes 1958. - Photo by Edward Quinn
  • Pablo Picasso, Jacqueline, Clive Bell and Barbara Bagenal, an artist herself and wife of Nicholas Bagenal. In front of restaurant Chez Félix. Cannes 1958. - Photo by Edward Quinn