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Link: prev: Art: Munem Wasif's Salt Water Tears in Satkhira at The Mall Galleries Link: next: Book Review: The Redeemer Go to home mirror.co.uk [IMG] * Home * News * Sport * Celebs * TV & Entertainment * Life & Style * Advice * Opinion * Fun & Games * Video * Mobile The Ticket Art: Pablo Picasso linocuts at Connaught Brown Gallery By Martin Newman on Mar 13, 09 12:00 AM in Art Avant-la-Pique.jpg Until April 13 Less than two clicks from the National Gallery's major new Picasso exhibition is a much smaller gathering of work which gives a different, but no less fascinating, perspective on the great man's artistic output. This collection of linocut prints made by Pablo Picasso at different stages of his career stylistically adheres closely to the periods of his painted works. Signed by the artist, they were produced in limited edition runs that varied from a couple of impressions to a couple of hundred, and today represent decent value for anyone who wants to acquire a large, vibrant work of the Spaniard's. While you will find galleries around the world selling these prints, some at hugely inflated prices, the works on display at the Connaught Brown gallery in Mayfair are realistically valued. Furthermore they represent a broad range of his work to peruse. One of the first things that grabs you about these pictures is their size. For linocuts, very often produced by artists in small sizes for book plates, magazine graphics or as experimental asides to their more important projects, these are quite generously proportioned. Pristinely preserved, some for over 50 years, they capture the original depth of colours, the crispness of lines and the full scope of the materials. And as large works of art they demand the attention of the viewer. Avant la Pique, (Before the Lance, 1959), top, shows a bullfight: the matador's cape fending off the charging bull like a solid barrier, while the picador sits calmly upon his horse watching the action. Grande-tete-de-Femme-au-Cha.jpg In some ways the style of this piece is reminiscent of popular ceramic designs of the late 1950s - early '60s, and some may regard it as a little dated, even kitsch. But that would be to ignore the marvelous composition of the piece, its subjects receding in size so that the most powerful element of the picture - the bull - seems completely emasculated by the figures of picador and matador. And it's worth remembering Picasso and his fellow Cubists were a major influence on popular trends for many years to come. It is such mastery of the subject matter that sets these works apart from general linocut dabbling. In Grande Tete de Femme au Chapeau (1962), above, we find an example of the type of work that Picasso is more generally known for. It's a classic example of the Cubist form, the woman's face a flat two dimensional representation that harks back to such pivotal works as the 1932 canvas Girl Before a Mirror. Toros-en-Vallauris.jpg Picasso turned his hand to most forms of art during his long life, and his linocuts naturally evolved from the sculpture, lithographs and ceramics he produced. He started producing linocuts in 1958, glorying in the simplicity and modernity of the medium. The technique offered Picasso the opportunity of crafting contemporary friezes that could then be turned to the mass production of cheaper art for the people as well as popular posters printed in their thousands. The processes involved of carving and gouging out the lino also satisfied Picasso's earthiness and his love of using his hands to create. The graphic element of linocuts too leant itself to the cultural changes occurring in art at the time, the growing prevalence of advertising imagery and of simpler more readily available images. Toros en Vallauris (1960), above, has the look of a mass produced poster advertising an event, a colourful mix of imagery and words. It's the most vibrant of the prints on display and its bright red background and yellow lettering have not faded with time. The bold forms and earthy colours of African art were also a great influence on Picasso. You can see them in works such as Picador (1959), below, which stretches the abstraction of block forms to an even greater level. Picador.jpg Here too the composition employed is crowded and almost claustrophobic, with a disturbing mania familiar from some of his earlier canvases, such as the epic Guernica (1937). Picasso's linocuts are rarely shown in a single exhibition away from his other print mediums and so this Mayfair exhibition is a good opportunity to see this aspect of his work in focus. According to Anne-Franc,oise Gavanon Picasso took up the linocut medium, considered the poor relation in graphic art, and invalidated such a judgement. He also used it to document the way his work was changing, his "travail createur". Made by gouging out a sheet of Linoleum fused onto a harder block of wood let Picasso work more quickly than carving wood allowed. He could cut out the areas of Linoleum free of color to leave a framing white-space, while inking other parts with a brayer. To apply multiple colors, Picasso would create a separate Linoleum block for each color in the process. And he worked to this technique throughout his life. In Bacchanale (1959), below, Picasso pays backhanded homage to Henri Matisse, an artist far better known for his lithographs and screen prints. Bacchanale.jpg The scene of embracing figures and musicians has the same beautiful simplicity of Matisse's work, and there are deliberate and careful nods to such popular Matisse works as his Blue Nudes (1952), Icarus (1943) and even the early canvas The Dance (1910). Later on in his life Picasso developed a technique for printing multiple colors from a single Linoleum block. He would print the linocut, cut out more of the block, ink it again and print it a second time in a different color over the original. Connaught Brown 2 Albermarle Street London W1S 4HD 0207 408 0362 www.connaughtbrown.co.uk martin.newman@mirror.co.uk (2) comments so far add yours here More on... * connaught brown, * pablo picasso Share: * delicious * digg this * newsvine.gif * stumble.gif * facebook.gif Older/Newer << Art: Munem Wasif's Salt Water Tears in Satkhira at The Mall Galleries | Book Review: The Redeemer >> 2 Comments Len Biegel said: I aqm interested in purchasing a Picasso linocut of Bachanale. Please let me know if you have one available and the price. Thank you. Len Biegel July 7, 2009 9:08 PM Julia Pawelzik said: Hello, I also have a Picasso "Le Vieux Bouffon" (The Old King) which I am trying to sell and I was wondering if you were interested in it or if you could give me some advice about how or who I could contact I would be extreamly grateful. Thank you in advance for your time kind regards Julia February 4, 2010 3:03 PM Leave a comment Name _______________________________ Email Address _______________________________ URL _______________________________ [ ] Remember personal info? 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Author Martin Newman Martin Newman Martin has been reviewing art in Britain for over a decade. He gives a wrap of new exhibitions, books, news and gossip from the art world exclusively for Mirror.co.uk's The Ticket blog. View all of Martin's posts. 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