Two exhibitions
dal 4/6/2007 al 22/6/2007
Segnalato da
4/6/2007
Two exhibitions
Adam Gallery, London
Picasso and Matisse. The exhibition focuses on the two masters as printmakers, an area of work which both artists pursued with vigour at different times in their careers. All the prints on view draw heavily on the Western figurative tradition. This focus is fascinating and illuminating in revealing their shared dependence on this subject and consequently how their work can be seen in a comparable light.
Picasso and Matisse
Picasso and Matisse - giants of twentieth century art - were both
dedicated print makers. The juxtaposition of these two artists is
legendary from the rivalry and mutual appreciation of each others work
during the time of its creation, to the many retrospectives, including the
memorable exhibition pitching the two artists at the Tate Modern in 2002.
This exhibition focuses on the two masters as printmakers – an area of
work which both artists pursued with vigour at different times in their
careers. Importantly, for both artists prints were not seen as low priced
reproductions of their other, more expensive, works of art. Neither were
they seen as studies towards larger, more developed paintings, for
example. The prints are finished and fully considered artworks in their
own right. For this reason we believe that these low edition, pencil
signed prints are truly beautiful and affordable artworks with substantial
investment potential.
The continuing assessment of these artists reveals how they were very
different in character. Reserved and dignified, Matisse was the image of
respectability. Aggressive and egotistical, Picasso considered himself
superior to every person he met. When the two painters were shown
side-by-side in London in 1945, Matisse told a friend, 'Obviously, next to
him, I always look like a little girl'. Despite their differences they
acknowledged each other's talents and inspired one another.
Picasso created many prints and in a variety of media. However, for the
first forty years of his artistic career he concentrated almost
exclusively on intaglio processes. The one hundred remarkable etchings
that make up The Vollard Suite are generally regarded as the finest of his
achievements in printmaking. The Suite was conceived between 1930 and 1936
and is mainly divided in five main themes: Rembrandt, The Battle of Love,
The Sculptor's Studio, The Minotaur and The Blind Minotaur. These themes
are often related to Picasso's own life, and within this series he is
generally identified as the Minotaur figure. Despite superficial
differences, an underlying unity of tone and Picasso's preoccupation with
neo-classical and classical subjects lends a homogeneity and consistency
to the series. A number of works from The Vollard Suite are included in
this show.
All the prints featured in this exhibition draw heavily on the Western
figurative tradition. This focus is fascinating and illuminating as it
reveals their shared dependence on this subject and consequently how their
work can be seen in a comparable light.
Matisse's representation of women and dancers in his prints reveals his
instinctive sense of pictorial harmony and rhythm. The depiction of his
figures prioritises the expression of joy and pleasure over studied
anatomical representation. His economical use of line is of paramount
importance in conveying precisely this pleasure and emotion. One of his
famous lithographic albums is the Dix Danseuses series made in 1927 for
Editions de la Galerie d'Art Contemporain. It portrayed a ballet dancer
from the 'Companie de Paris' wearing a richly decorated 'tutu' and a pearl
necklace. Prints from this naturalistic series are represented in the
exhibition.
Adam Gallery
24 Cork Street - London