Picasso Prints
British Museum London until 30th March 2025
I had intended to visit this exhibition back in the Autumn when it opened but got distracted and forgot about it.
I was glad to get a booking in the final week as curiosity has now been assuaged.
It was a smaller exhibition than I had expected and I was quite surprised at how familiar many of the compositions seemed but that is probably as a result of trawling through Zervos in the past looking for matches.
At some point a 'version' of 'The Frugal Meal' was offered to WG. I do not remember the actual details but it may have been a re-worked print!
My memory is that it was politely declined as the gallery did not deal in prints.
The frugal meal, 1904 (published 1913)
Etching and scraper Bequeathed by Campbell Dodgson
British Museum, 1949,0411.4624
The poor, 1905 (published 1913)
Etching
Bequeathed by Campbell Dodgson British Museum, 1949,0411.4626
The exhibition is mostly displayed in wall cabinets and vitrines which means that reflections and odd viewing angles somewhat interfere.
It was great to be reminded of the sheer energy of the artist even though the prints are relatively constrained by virtue of the process.
Three standing nudes, 1927
Illustration for Honoré de Balzac,
The Unknown Masterpiece (Paris: Vollard, 1931)
Etching
British Museum, 1970, 1031.2
Serenade at sunset in a Monet-style undergrowth
5 October 1968 |
From the 347 Suite
Presented by Hamish Parker
British Museum, 2014,7087.347
Brothel. Chatter, with parrot, Celestina, and the portrait of Degas, from the 156 Suite, 1971
Etching British Museum, 1993,1003.2