Portrait of Balzac, plate VI from Michel Leiris's balzacs en bas de casse et picasso sans majuscule [balzacs in lower case and picassos without capitals]

What might have begun as a personal favor for his literary acquaintances turned into a lifelong involvement in book illustration. Picasso’s works can be found in over fifty-one books; however, in some examples scholars have found it difficult to visually connect his work to the text. The freedom to forgo a clear correlation is a testament to his reputation and the value of his work. Jaime Sabartés, a close friend of the artist’s, explains, “[Picasso’s] works are so valuable, and lend such prestige to the books in which they appear, that only few people raise objections if such contributions have not been specially made to order.”