Contrary to the majority of the other artists present in the collection, Picasso never replied to Level’s letter. Yet the financier himself affirmed that all the artists, without exception, had gladly accepted their share of the profits. The historian John Richardson told that in order to thank him, Picasso created in March 1914 the Cubist composition Bottle of Bass, Glass, Packet of Tobacco, Visiting Card (Fig.17) which is today in the collection of the National Museum of Modern in Paris, made with one of Level’s true visiting cards, stuck on the table of the still life. Yet this important work was never given to the collector but acquired by the dealer Kahnweiler. At the same time, he indeed included another visiting card, that of one of his patrons, Gertrude Stein, in the papier collé Dice, Packet of Cigarettes, Visiting Card [Z. II**, 490/Daix 661]. The artist, who experimented with new materials and working techniques, found in this an original way to please his most faithful collectors. It is however interesting to note that as early as January 1914, Picasso used André Level’s visiting card as a writing card. On January 10, the artist wrote to Guillaume Apollinaire a note to wish him his saint’s day at the back of one of Level’s visiting cards[i].
The relationship between the artist and the financier became closer over the years and we can even speak of intimacy between the two men, after the sale of La Peau de l’Ours. André Level introduced him his nephew by alliance, Max Pellequer in 1914, who became one of his important collectors and his financial advisor for more than thirty years, as he himself was a banker[ii]. As shown by the letters between Level and Apollinaire and then between Level and Max Jacob[iii], the collector regularly visited Picasso’s studio between 1908 and 1922. On February 18, 1915, Picasso wrote to Apollinaire: “I spent a pleasant day with Mr Level and we talked about you a lot”[iv]. On October 19, it was Level’s turn to write to the poet : “I have an appointment with Picasso on Thursday to see an Harlequin which is commented a lot, a Cubism different from the previous one or ones. I will let you know my impression however worthless it may be”[v]. He followed the artist’s evolution with the same passion. A few years later, as Picasso entered his Classical period, the artist drew with a pencil, in an Ingresque style, the portrait of André Level, which he dedicated to him (Fig. 1 ). This portrait, which remained unknown until its publication in 1976 in the book about the letters between Level and Apollinaire, edited by his niece, Brigitte Level, was probably given to collector by the artist.
[i] See Picasso Apollinaire Correspondance, Edition Pierre Caizergues et Hélène Seckel, Gallimard/RMN, Paris, 1992, p. 110.
[ii] Max Pellequer regularly appeared as an intermediary of financial transactions between Picasso and Berthe Weill until 1943. See Berthe Weill’s letters to Picasso, Picasso Museum archives, Paris.
[iii] Correspondance Guillaume Apollinaire – André Level, Edition Brigitte Level, Aux lettres modernes, Paris, 1976 and Max Jacob, Lettres à André Level, Edition Bernard Duchatelet, Centre d’Etude des Correspondances, Brest, Bibliothèque municipale de Quimper, 1994.
[iv] See Picasso Apollinaire Correspondance, Edition Pierre Caizergues et Hélène Seckel, Gallimard/RMN, Paris, 1992, p. 129.
[v] Correspondance Guillaume Apollinaire – André Level, Edition Brigitte Level, Aux lettres modernes, Paris, 1976, p. 56.