This original lithograph, Le Picador II, is a printer's proof (with registration marks at sides of the paper) and was created in 1961 as one of four original  illustrations for the book "A los Toros avec Picasso" by Jaime Sabartés, published by Andrés Sauret (Monte Carlo).  Additional images in the book are reproductions of Picasso drawings, pastels and gouaches.

This is Picasso's most colorful lithograph, printed in 24 colors, based on a crayon drawing he created (along with three others) March 6, 1961, only four days after he married Jacqueline at Vallauris.  He completed the drawing on April 21, 1961 and both dates are in the lithograph.

There is a signed edition of 50 on a paper with wider margins and a book edition of 125.

When Picasso originally created the four illustrations for the book they were in a single color, black.  Picasso's lithographer, Fernand Mourlot, suggested he "put a little color into these plates".  Picasso then crayoned what is shown here using each of the 24 colors in the 24-color box of crayons from which he created the drawing!

In his text for the book Jaime Sabartés describes the atmosphere of the plaza - the sunny and shady sides, the enthusiasm of the aficionados. The cry "a los toros" evokes an exceptional and undefinable feeling in Sabartes "he who cries it feels it rising inside of him early on a Sunday morning when a bullfight is going to take place". In writing of the "actors" in the corrida, he devotes most of his attention to the bull and the Picador, for these are the "protagonists", who play the principal roles.