FEATURES ARCHIVE

Adam McCoy, Specialist in Prints and Multiples and unabashed Picasso enthusiast (“I have a stack of Picasso books by my bedside!”), recently strolled up the street to check out the Museum of Modern Art’s exhibition on the 20th century master. Here, he discusses his reaction to the show, and the opportunity to acquire works by Picasso in this month’s auction.

Picasso’s Prints: A Broad Survey
A flurry of exciting exhibitions on Picasso’s art have appeared recently at art museums and galleries around the world, and each presents different aspects of the great master. One of the best shows for printmaking in New York is the Museum of Modern Art’s Picasso: Themes and Variations, organized by the Chief Curator of Prints and Illustrated Books, Deborah Wye. She has selected key works from the museum’s comprehensive collection to present a complete story of the artist’s engagement with the graphic arts.

This exhibition excels at an even-handed discussion and display of works across Picasso’s long career, thus showcasing the full breadth of Picasso’s creativity. While many exhibitions focus on the early Rose, Blue and Cubist periods, here we are able to appreciate prints from the classical and surrealist-influenced phases, as well as late subjects, all within a single venue. Granted, it was not until these mature phases that the artist embraced printmaking and its full range of techniques. While early masterpieces of the Blue period such as Le Repas Frugal merit great attention, his rich work in the linocut technique and engagement with the history of art in works like Buste de Femme d’apres Cranach le Jeune are equally masterpieces. The MoMA exhibition also addresses his late and often overlooked works from the well-known series 347 and 156 (each named after the number of prints completed). It is an exciting time to see so much public and scholarly interest in Picasso’s work as one of the 20th century’s foremost printmakers.

Beyond the Museum Walls
Picasso created more than 2,000 prints in his lifetime, and one need not always set foot in a museum to appreciate his talent in this medium. The July auction of Prints & Multiples offers a selection of Picasso’s prints that span the length of his career. At an accessible price level, they make an excellent addition to any collection.

Many of the prints in the sale are from series displayed in MoMA’s exhibition, including Peintre et Modèle en Robe Tricote, from suite 156, the well-known collection inspired by Picasso’s reflections on Old Masters and his own work as an artist. Further highlights include a whimsical caricature of the French novelist Honoré Balzac, Le Viol from the Vollard Suite, and Face with Five Points, one of several ceramic pieces in the sale.