PICASSO STUDY SETS

P Harlequin 1915

1916: change in atmosphere as France enters WW1; Picasso's friends enter military service Return to the familiar—theme of circus performers/saltimbanques Dying Eva Gouel—Harlequin remninds him of happier times Shape of harlequin resembles an easel; support bar is the thin, comical face P is the happiest in the STUDIO where creation is rampant H holding a palette/canvas Background shapes suggest studio environment

P Woman in Red Chair 1932

Biomorphic, bonehead series Figure is distorted, dissected, indiscernible Sexualized features: nose for a penis, resemblance to the bronze sculpture series Closest P ever got to abstract art

P Woman in Armchair 1913

Eva sitting in a chair during her time as an invalid on the verge of death More color, more textures, more materials EVA IS FRAGMENTED like her subconscious Emphasizing her ribcage, inner parts are displayed outwardly for the world to view her disease Breasts are drooping, attached to her body with PEGGS/NAILS Violent/brutal depiction/consumption of her body; Gedo: CONTRADICTION BETWEEN SENSUALITY AND SADISM Appealed to Surrealist artists Never exhibited; kept privately

P The Dance 1925

Explosive breakthrough in style—focus on violence, savagery, malevolent tone, Surrealist ideals DESCENT INTO HELL; EXCORCISM OF DEMONS; SIMILAR TO LA VIE Surrealism: Bacchanalia-like exploration of subconscious; theme of the hysterical/frenzied woman; desire to understand subconscious and recreate the dream state; SURREALIST ICON Should be titled the "Death of Pichot," Pichot's silhouette lingers in the shadows; EFFIGY OF DEATH Mythological figures: harpies, maenads, destructive women that prey on men and tear them apart R: inspired by Satie's music and Borlin's choreography; DEATH OF RAMON PICHOT CAST A DARKER SHADOW ON P; guilt, loss; shift in color scheme to create a bright, malevolent, Mongeasque sky -Crucificial dancer in C is Olga; right leg is stiff due to injury, no genitalia between her thighs--large gap -Dionysiac dancer on L is antithesis of Olga; face is a vagina dentata; dancing a demonic Charleston, frenetic jazz -Pichot lingering in background; an effigy ; Pichot as a dancer might refer to his wonderful Spanish dancing NOT SURREALIST BUT CONVULSIVE in that it is sur-realist

P Three Musicians 1921

Figures: P as Harlequin, Apollinaire, and Max Jacob as Monk; the reprise of the Band of Picasso Romantic, medieval Harlequin escaping from hell? Spiritually dark, steeped in nostalgia and guilt for banishing friends due to Olga Max Jacob as a monk, ascetic ,escape from materialism; Max was a symbolist poet/writer, P saw him as a "Christ figure" Harlequin's outfit has Catalan flag colors Dog as ghost of friend's dog Painting on back wall; grid painting Sculptural inspirations, reminiscent of Cubism Qualities of playfulness mixed with darkness SPANISH CARNIVAL MASK R: a nostalgic REQUIEM FOR THE PAST before satanic influences of Cocteau led him from modernism to more commerical art; a RESPONSE TO MAX's VALEDICTION; reflects P's interest in jazz and Max's interest in Spanish carnival music

P The Crucifixion 1930

First major attempt at religious iconography: scene of Jesus's crucifixion at Golgotha Theme of human suffering, anguish Jarring color, anamorphic shapes, variation in sizing and color scheme of figures; very small frame of painting Reflects P's rage at the artistic establishment and desire for artistic rebellion? Reaction to Christian upbringing? Anticipates Guernica: extreme distortion, abrupt changes in scale, amalgamation of Christian sources and myths; primitive; women are brutalized; pagan sacrifice R P trained as religious artist under Jose Garnelo; familiar with Catholic iconography P USED CATHOLICISM OF SPAIN's TRADITIONAL FOREBEARS AGAINST FRANCO'S FASCIST FAITH an "iconographical conundrum" Is the soldier on the ladder putting the nails in Christ or taking them out? Longinus, Roman lancer who stabbed Christ's side is downgraded as a Mithraic picador P switched iconography of placement of sun and moon to create new meanings/symbols a Raven, symbolizes paganism; transmits the sun's rays to Mithra to slaughter the sacrificial bull P has placed Virgin Mary as a virago resembling the vagina-dentata Olga inspired by Dali's controversial The Sacred Heart; symbol of the Surrealists in their excoriation of the Church and the fatherland

P Minotauromachia 1935

Innocent holds out a light Minotaur shielding himself from the light Gored horse and a disassembled female torso represents M-T and P's rage Corrida imagery Man staring on left plane and gossipers in the middle plane represent the world WATCHING PICASSO; self-conscious of fame and his shameful secret wish to DESTROY M-T G bullfights triggered Picasso's madness and anger as he was chained to M-T rage and guilt "blinded" him, in a period of creative inability M-T holding dove represents his nostalgia, longing for childhood tenderness symbolized by memories of his father restored vision in Minotauromachia represents P's new sense of freedom and pride after expelling Olga child holds the shining light of innocence man on ladder is P's father, gossiping women are his sisters

P The Charnel House 1945

Inspired by photography of dead bodies at Concentration camps Dissected, twisted figures in a constricted space P's statement about the Holocaust and WW2, meant as a companion piece to Guernica Less successful despite its haunting imagery G inspired by Max Jacob's death at CC P was disgusted by DM's breakdown; saw it as a sign of weakness PAINTING ALSO REFLECTS HIS DISGUST AT DM's BREAKDOWN as she had collapsed in a distorted heap

P Night Fishing in Antibes 1939

Inspired by walks in Antibes, watching fisherman on coast Autobiographical statement: two women in L plane are DM and Breton's wife Fisherman in quiet cove, fishing during night time Luminescent/fluorescent color palette G P's last masterpiece poetic yet sinister quality of stillness; artist on the brink of the unknown as France approached WW2

P Three Women at the Spring 1921

Manipulating shapes like Ingres Heavy forms, heavy lines on clothing resembles fluting on columns Academic style; no spontaneous creativity Neo-classical style; conservative visuals; commercial, popular, profitable to support new lifestyle Art was easy to understand by public and wife/mother R: inspired by Fontainbleau imagery by 16th century painter ROSSO G when constrasted with the Three Musicians, suggests self-sacrifice (the ascetic) over self-indulgence

Jacques-Louis David Death of Marat 1793 P Death of Marat 1931

Marat: revolutionary leader during Reign of Terror; assassinated by political opponent Corday P's reinterpretation of the Death of Marat; P is being assassinated by a female monster/Olga Tight, constricted, claustrophobic space Primitive style; motif of the frenzied women with strong jaw and teeth Emphasis on red, overflow, pool of blood French flag—satirical? R created on Christmas Day while Olga was fretting about parties in the background, cooking in kitchen exorcising himself from Olga's threats in other variations of work, Olga is cutting M-T's throat

Dora Maar Rue D'Astorg 1936

Marr was a muse for the Surrealists; inspired by the mysterious, the beautiful, the strange, and the experimental Unusual, grotesque, phallic object—a FOUND OBJECT

P Massacre in Korea 1951

Massacre in Korea Goya inspired Executioners look mechanized, alien; one is holding a sword to show how modern violence is a continuation of the past Women'sf aces are distorted, screaming in horror, emaciated bodies G passionless and thus less successful than Guernica; too abstract and distant inspired by Goya's Third of May race of deadly automatons victims are children and women; soldiers reflect P's animosity, misogyny towards women in his life, Gilot

P Guernica 1937

Monochrome mural to create a night-time scene or a newspaper photograph tone Marr photographs the mural's progression through six stages Changes in R plane, lower L plane as P gradually integrates the horse and the upraised arm disappears, morphing into an all-seeing eye Horse's tongue is pointed like a bayonet Rays of illumination from the eye/light bulb and gas lamp held by figure's hand 3 ANIMALS: horse, bird, bull; the bird is screaming/primal scream theme; horse represents the people; the bull represents darkness, evil Theme of weeping, hysterical woman: woman holding dead child, women shout in burning house; terrorized faces Text from newspaper embedded throughout to underline the publicity of the Guernica bombings Dead soldier in foreground, possibly a Republican soldier SUMMARIZES PICASSO's CAREER; ICON FOR HUMAN BRUTALITY AND THE TRAGEDY OF WAR G primitivism of the drawings suggest that P is reverting to the tragedy and trauma he suffered as a child with the death of his sister; P is the bull in Guernica in that he is turning away from the trauma before him women in Guernica are his mother; holding the lamp to symbolize light during times of childhood darkness P's subconscious fusion of death and birth; the dying horse and the birth of his sister bull represents the artist suffering internal rage and external devastation; the artist is an EARTHSHAKER, an innocent victim of destruction and the causative agent of destruction

P Mandolin and Guitar 1924

P awakening to new possibilities for still life Visual jokes using perspective; railing, window pane Perplexing; element of surprise as new source of energy Juan Miro inspirations; Catalan color palette R: BOOBYTRAPPED with VISUAL JOKES; using perspective to perplex the audience; "surprise is the great new source of energy," mandolin not a sexual symbol but a commentary on farcical art movements; P DESCRIBES STILL LIVES AS PARABLES

P Bather by the Sea 1929

P entering a mid-life crisis; beginning of affair with M-T Bonehead art reverting to P's traumatic childhood memory of an autopsy Obsession with bathing themes, Surrealist exploration of female frenzy studies Parched anatomy; arid, dry, angularity of limbs Menacing figure; jaw and teeth resembling the Woman in Armchair; resembling a "praying mantis," mantis's devour males during mating--a SURREALIST CLICHE R Olga is like a pillar of chalk capture's OLGA's SOLITUDE perhaps to show P's glimmer of mercy inspired by Vesalius, a 16th century doctor who experimented with dissections of human body; P has turned Olga's body inside out

P Portrait of Olga in an Armchair 1917

P meets Olga Kaklova through La Parade Olga was part of the Russian Ballet, conservative, respectable Russian family Photorealistic style Unfinished? P's psychological realization; what did he discover that made him stop? Doll-like face, bland expression; boring, disinterest, vapid, introverted, self-centered qualities? Emphasis on her materialistic desires; luxurious dress and wrap

P Las Meninas 1957 Velazquez Las Meninas 1656

P's re-interpretation Figure on the L plane dominates composition G: recreating Las Meninas also had a double identification: P sought to return to his childhood as the prodigal son of his father; Picasso's renewed tenderness for his first understander and teacher--his father

P The Dream 1932

Parallels sculpture series of M-T Dream—Surrealist theme Gentle lines contrasted with thick black lines Decorative detailing of wallpaper in background Delicate, vulnerability of M-T sleeping P is awake—P IS SURVEILLING M-T series with: Organic shapes, imagery of plants, buds, fertility—allusion to M-T's pregnancy REMINISCENT OF ORIENTAL CALLIGRAPHY Suggesting fertility, feminine grace Motif of the mirror R thumbs and fingers creates a vagina; forehead resembles a penis; SEX IS ON HER MIND AND BETWEEN HER LEGS darker, denser colors with thicker linear outlines

P Painter and his Model 1928

Picasso in his studio; return to REDUCTIONIST, linear compositons Olga is the model? She has three eyes, symbol of her spying, controlling behavior Canvas is transparent; painting is the profile of a face that resembles Pichot's in Le Danse Vaginal mouth reminiscent in the The Kiss; he has two eyes instead of Olga's three Faces like African shield masks? R a dialogue between P and Matisse? modern synthesis of Leger, Mondrian, and P's cubist past why is the artist seated on the chair of the model? Is the model Olga or M-T? G M-T is the model, creating a lovely scene of artist and model working together in perfect unison

P Luncheon on the Grass 1960 Manet Luncheon on the Grass 1863

Precipitated the modern movement—end of Renaissance composition and use of space Icon of independent creativity nude woman lunching with dandies woman bathing in back is too large to create realistic perspective; she seems to be floating above them

P Girl Before a Mirror 1932

R 468-70; opposes fertility symbolism M-T embracing her mirror image; highlighting her breasts, buttocks, voluptuous figure Empty uterus—symbol of fertility or a miscarriage? P is fascinated by the idea of children, pregnancy Embodiment of the ideal beauty—divine perfection? M-T's juxtaposed self and mirror image: glowing vs. dark, mysterious, troubled mirror image; generalization of life and death, youth and decay Or is it two halves of the same person—M-T's disjointed duality? Or is it P's DISILLUSIONED VERSION OF M-T; he is passing her off as someone else; mirror suggests vanity and self-indulgence Curator of MOMA, Reuben argues it as the prototype of P's success R painting is a fertility symbol; P wanted M-T's uterus filled "overworked, no poesie" G sexual imagery symbolic of P and M-T happy sex life M-T is the merger of artist and muse, and thus the symbol of life triumphing over death P created M-T like Pygmalion to fall in love with the concrete projection of his own ideal

P The Studio 1927-28

Rectangular, geometric construction; P is like an architect Obsession with theme of artist in studio REDUCTIONIST /MINIMALIST/scant design; stripped to just wires and lines; resembles an ideogram/pictograph Desire to reinterpret the still life White classical bust, red tablecloth, artist painting on an with a palette reminiscent of earlier stills and the Harlequin images G device of picture within a picture is P's attempt to trap Olga and create a protective boundary for M-T represents a mute plea for help by creating an evocation of the past now disintegrated

P Studio with Plaster Head 1925

Resembles Chiricio's "Dream of Poets," due to simultaneous perspective and position of bust Parts of a mannequin—the severed limbs? Jarring, shattering of spatial dimensions Framing device used to distort space Strangeness? R: background is toy theater P built for son giant breast in background steps--or orange baton-like thunderbolt symbolizes vengefulness and violence theme of FREEMASONRY; the carpenter's square symbolizes the Mason's cosmological beleifs of god as the "Divine architect of the universe" bust is not generically classical; may be an alusion to Pichot's ominous and lingering presence

P Life of Franco 1937

Satirical work divided into 9 rectangular scenes resembling a comic strip Depicts Franco as a monster transitioning to a knight to an aroused soldier to a destroyer of classical sculpture (symbol of Spanish traditions) to a cross-dresser Bull charging against Franco symbolizes the Republicans or P himself? Franco eats his horse symbolizing chaos Reminiscent of Goya's print series titled "The Disasters of War" G bull has a noble role final scene: a humanized bull gores the Franco-monster, a horse with a polyp head; the polyp symbolizes both Franco and P's personal implication in the war; it is a subconscious shape

Dora Maar Portrait of Ubu 1936

Satirical—Ubu means shit; play on words of absurd play by Symbolist playwright Jarry on "Ubu the King" Close-up of a young armadillo; possibly a fetus

P Head of Woman (M-T Bronze Sculptures) 1931-1932

Sculptural experimentation done during retreat to BOISGELOUP challenging Brancusi's sculptures? Hypersexualized features; penis for a nose Juxtapositions in features; soft vs. hard; commentary on duality of M-T's personality? R 449 P IS GIVING M-T A PRIMEVAL POWER that she lacked head resembled rhionceros skull with two large horns, prized aphrodisiacs, and a massive African fertility mask to emphasize "sculptures imbued with inner life," P's emphasis on fertility and desire to have a child with M-T

P Pipes of Pan 1923

Stateliness of figures Classical ruins in background? Inspired by retreat to Antin in S France Academic style, tradition Isolation between figures Classicist pastiche ended with this painting DESIRE TO CAPTURE SENSUALITY OF ANCIENT WORLD; sexual ambiguity, Murphy is feminized, alienated from player Suggestion of Murphy's bisexuality Sea as blue wall—constriction of space R: sensuality of Ancient Dionysiac pipe players; figure on L is Gerard Murphy, an American expatriate/host of intellectual social circle; HINTING AT SEXUAL AMBIGUITY of Murphy and the ancient world

P Woman in Armchair 1929

Surrealist interest in Charcot's study of female hysteria Olga's evolving psychosis and neurosis; she is becoming deranged; P's sadistic interest P sees Olga as a VORACIOUS MONSTER; face is primitive and simplified features; her jaw and teeth are pronounced, reptilian, devouring something; she is crying out—a PRIMAL SCREAM that no one can hear Biomorphic, hanging, flaccid limbs shows her vulnerability and her illness, hopelessness Shape of chair and the redness resembles an EAR (ironic b/c no one can hear her screams), symbolizing her surveillance of him Environment is geometric, decorative; resembling Mondrian R: Olga in deeper depressive state and hysteria discovery of M-T through P's artwork: awful feeling of being "supplanted" ARM CHAIR allows P TO TRAP SUBJECTS LIKE BIRDS IN A CAGE; IMPLIES OLD AGE, SICKNESS, DEATH chair's redness might refer to her hemorrhages and the contorted right arm to the damaged right leg that ruined her dance career

P Weeping Woman 1937

Theme of women in hysteria; weeping, anxious, frenzied, etc. Dora Marr's unusual hats and elaborate fingernails, which P has distorted to create claws

P Bathers with a Ball 1928

Triangular shape of torsos Cult of sea and the sun—exaggerated sexual energy?

P The Embrace/The Kiss 1925

Unbridled, Picasso's desire to disorient and surprise the audience Violence in the organic shapes, extreme colors Animalistic—sharing a mouth, limbs are contorted and inseparable Genitalia in shape of mouth and phallic nose? Inspired by German Expressionsim? or Brancusi R: outrageous, multivaginal kiss; phalic noses and vaginal eyes and mouths agape; vagina dentata set between the woman's feet; man's snake tattoo confused for a baby "MONSTER PAINTINGS" inspired by fellow artist Picabia P hid the painting from prying eyes and bourgeois propriety

P La Parade 1917

WW1: PERIOD OF EMOTIONAL AND ARTISTIC STRUGGLE Return to realism DADA movement, Surrealism on the rise La Parade: invitation to the Ballet, experimental theatre/dance Drop curtain for Ballet Pegasus, Harlequin, whimsical, mythical tone Naïve style Henri Rousseau tribute? Rousseau had no canon/tradition; primitive artist R: evokes earlier works on the Saltimbanques; P is depicting artists and poets in another world of the spirit; a parody of popular scene painting; Pegasus symbol of PACIFISM and P's opposition of WW1

P Bacchanalian Scene Etching 1933

Wine, orgy, debauchery Minotaur represents P's BASER INSTINCTS; an alter-ego like the Harlequin Mixes reality with myth

P Woman of Algiers 1955 Delacroix Women of Algiers 1834 Ingres Odalisque with Slave 1839

beginning of P's PASTICHES Painting dedicated to Delacroix or Ingres's orientalist series One of over a dozen attempts to recreate the great artists' works P involved in an internal debate over whether he is better than these artists G: show P's subconscious identification with Matisse; recreating Matisse's interpretation of the odalisques