CHAPTER VII

Post War Parodies - 1946-1972

After the end of World War II, Picasso enjoyed an open relationship with the masters of art. His many obvious variations after Velazquez's "The Maids of Honor" have been the subject of much discourse.

EXAMPLE FROM 1949

"David and Bathsheba," a lithograph from 1949 (127)

An example of a variation after Lucas Cranach is "David and Bathsheba," a lithograph (127) in which Picasso naturally reversed Cranach's images in (127A).

EXAMPLES FROM 1950

“Demoiselles des bords de la Seine" 1950 (128)

Courbet, who for a long time had been one of Picasso's favorite resources, came out in the open in Picasso's composition based on Courbet's "Girls on the Banks of the Seine" (128A) from which Picasso freely manipulated shapes to make his "Demoiselles des bords de la Seine" (128). Penrose related in his biography of Picasso the following “His continual interest in the work of others had tempted him on several occasions in the past to take as his theme a painting that he admired, such as Poussin's "Bacchanale," and reinterpret it according to the feelings it provoked in him. At this time two great paintings, the "Demoiselles de la Seine" by Courbet and El Greco's "Self-Portrait," had attracted his attention, and he painted two large canvases, rearranging them in his own manner. In both cases it is possible to trace in detail the original work, n. A careful comparison between Picasso's versions and the works of his predecessors is the best possible guide to the revolution he has brought about in painting and to its significance” (Penrose 343).

"Self-Portrait of El Greco" copy 1950 (129)

In describing Picasso's copy of the "Self-Portrait of El Greco" 1950, (129)

after (129A) Penrose said “His admiration for the master of Toledo and his interest in the fact that it is a self- portrait have not restrained him from making fundamental changes, although at the same time he has kept faithfully to the spirit of the work. He has treated his subject, the original painting, as formerly he treated a guitar, analyzing it and making a statement of its essential qualities without failing to take every detail into account. The head of El Greco, surrounded by a white ruff, is greatly enlarged, and the features, instead of presenting an almost photographic likeness, are formed, rather than deformed, in a way which changes their static appearance into one of movement. El Greco's right hand, with little finger raised, holding the brush, is spread out nervously like a flower and El Greco's small rectangular palette, held in his left hand, is unchanged in shape, but it becomes unmistakable the less tidy palette of Picasso. El Greco's portrait with its Renaissance conception of reality prepared the ground for photography. Picasso's version some three hundred and fifty years later opens our eyes to a new vision in painting, and a new attitude towards reality” (Penrose 343).

EXAMPLE FROM 1954

"Femmes d'Alger" 1954 (130)

Ostensibly, a copy of Delacroix's "Femmes d'Alger," Picasso's delight was in developing Delacroix's "Death of Sardanapalus" (126A) to make his "Femmes d'Alger" (130).

EXAMPLE FROM 1957

"The Maids of Honor" after Velazquez 1957 (131)

In the summer of 1957, Picasso began a series of works which had as their starting point a huge black and white photograph of Velazquez's "The Maids of Honor" (131A). Five months later he had produced fifty-eight painted variations. (131) is but one example.

EXAMPLE FROM 1958

"Buste de Femme d'Apres Cranach" 1958 (132)

"Buste de Femme d'Apres Cranach" (132) is a color linoleum print which Picasso cut while looking at a postcard reproduction of Cranach's "Portrait of a Lady" (132A).

EXAMPLE FROM 1961

"Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe," 1961 (133)

Picasso's "Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe," (133) claims Manet as its source (28C); however, Louis LeNain's "Peasant Family" (133B) contains the contours of Picasso's composition.

EXAMPLE FROM 1962

"Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe after Manet" 1962 (134)

Furthermore, he combined the subject of (28C) with LeNain's "Peasants at " (134).

Picasso had done a series of paintings after Manet's "Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe" (28C) as Penrose reported “Picasso had once more taken a painting he admired and used it as the starting point of successive variations. This time he had picked the "Dejeuner sur l'Herbe" of Manet, a subject which could easily have taken place in the sunlight and shade of the water meadows of Vauvenarques. The composition of this landscape with figures had already been borrowed by Manet from Giorgione's painting in the Louvre, "LaFete Champetre." But as usual the scene became increasingly transformed by Picasso's imagination, and except for the dominant greens, the allusions to the original painting gave way to playful inventions. Manet's characters lived a new life improvised for them by Picasso” (Penrose 387).

"Family Portrait," a litho crayon drawing 1962 (135)

"Family Portrait," a print 1962 (136)

At this time Picasso must have seem "Dr. Baines and Family" (135A), a photograph by D. O. Hill and Robert Adamson, because the persons in the

photograph are the same family represented in Picasso's "Family Portrait," a litho crayon drawing of 1962 (135) and a print (136) dated June 21, 1962.

EXAMPLE FROM 1963

“The Painter and His Model” 1963 (137)

“The Painter and His Model” (137) depicts the painter seen by Picasso in the negative space to the left of the face and chest of the blacksmith from LeNain's "A Smith at His Forge" (137A). The line of the underside of the painter's arm is the line of the top of the anvil. The model's head is negative light space in the upper right of (137A). The painter's chair seat is the base of the anvil. His right shoe is the shadow on the base supporting the anvil and its long shadow. A shape behind the smith's left hand looked like a painter's palette to Picasso. The woman in the background of (137A) contains the lines of the easel.

EXAMPLES FROM 1964

"Artist at Work" an aquatint and drypoint 1964 (138)

"Artist at Work" (138) was created from a painting by Leon Benouville; his "Odalisque" of 1844 (136A). Note the design on the pillow under the right arm which Picasso used for a mask.

"The Artist and His Model" an aquatint and drypoint of November 7, 1964 (139)

"The Artist and His Model" (139), an aquatint and drypoint was adapted from "The Sultana" by Carl Van Loo (139A). The square jaw of the painter came from the corner of the window in (139A).

"The Artist and His Model" of November 11, 1964 (140)

Another variation of "The Artist and His Model" (140) was also painted from (139A).

EXAMPLES FROM 1965

"In the Studio" of March 14, 1965 (141)

For his "In the Studio" (141) Picasso combined Leon Benouville's "Odalisque" (138A) and John Frederich Lewis's "The Harem" (149A).

EXAMPLES FROM 1967

"Boy-Melon- Flute" 1967 (142)

In 1932, Picasso had done a series of drawings after Grunewald's "Isenheim Altarpiece-Crucifixion" (142A). In 1967, Picasso returned to (142A) for his crayon drawing "Boy-Melon- Flute" (142).

The year 1967 marked the centenary of the death of Ingres and Picasso's friend Robert Rosenblum's handsome monograph honoring Ingres was published that year by Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated. Two of Picasso's works were included, so it is very likely that he received a copy since he had a great respect for Ingres and knew the author. I believe that Picasso had seen the monograph prior to publication- perhaps as early as 1964. Benouville's "Odalisque" (136A) was one of the works included in the monograph. Picasso appears to have sequentially done variations on the numerous reproductions in the monograph on Ingres.

"Drawing" 1967 (143)

"Drawing" (143) is one example. Picasso made this drawing from "The Sultana" (139A) by Carl Van Loo. He changed the size of anatomical parts to coincide with the shapes of (139A). A comparison follows: Van Loo's work will be described on the left.

"The Sultana" "Drawing"

In the drapery above the head of the Sultana =

Picasso saw the woman's profile.The hat and hair of the Sultana = the thumb and fingers holding the hair.Light drapery and the Sultana's face =

the woman's breasts.The head of the servant girl =

the mirror.The coat of the servant girl =

the large feet of the woman.The pillow under the Sultana's left arm =

the bottom of Picasso's woman.The left knee of the Sultana =

the area of the left knee.

The corner of the table in the foreground = the rectangle under the woman.

"Drawing" 1967, (144)

Picasso did many drawings from "Raphael and Fornarina" by Ingres (144A). Another similar source was “Paolo and Francesca” by Alexandre Cabanel (158A). This "Drawing" (144) is an example.

"Circus Scene" 1967, (145)

"Drawing" (144) and "Circus Scene" (145) were also drawn from (139A) The two horse's heads appear in the first folds of the drapery where a dark triangle meets a five-sided shape of a lighter value. This angular shape is on the nose of the white-faced horse. The tail of this horse is on the upper right corner of (139A).

"Drawing" 1967, (146)

In (146), another drawing done from (139A) in 1967, the servant girl is replaced by a lion.

EXAMPLES FROM 1968

"Deux Danseuses et Oriental I" 1968, (147)

This is one of many examples of Picasso working from paintings of harems and sultans. See John Frederick Lewis's "Harem" (147A) The sultan resembles "European Portrait of Shah Ismail" (148A) a 15th Century portrait by an unknown artist. Another example is the Sultan in (148B).

"Kid Slipping into a Harem Reserved for Women" etching 1968 (148)

Another harem scene "Kid Slipping into a Harem Reserved for Women" (148) has a young child similar to the babies in "The Tepidarium" of the School of Fontainbleau (152A).

Harem scenes and a sultan in this drawing (149) relate to the earlier scenes of 1967.

“Woman, Bird and Oriental” 1968 (149)

“Woman, Bird and Oriental” (149) follows the source John Frederick Lewis's "Harem" (147A).

"Drawing" 1968 (150)

This Lewis painting was mixed with Gerome's “Womens' Bath at Brusa” (152B) which was also reproduced in the Ingres book, for the models of Picasso's "Drawing" (150).

"Drawing" 1968 (151)"Drawing" 1968 (152)

To the above mentioned sources Picasso added Ingres's "Turkish Bath" (17A) and Gerome's "Women's Bath at Brusia" (152B) printed on the same page as "Tepidarium" (152A) in the Ingres book to do both "Drawing" (151) and "Drawing" (152). Other harem sources are "In the Harem" (152C) and “Le Harem" (152D). Another Sultan may be seen in (158A).

"Drawing" 1968 (153)

Picasso turned back to (149A) to combine it with (152B) to make another "Drawing" (153) in 1968.

“Etching” March 16-22, 1968 (154)

He did an etching (154) from a reproduction in this same monograph on Ingres on March 22, 1968. The source for the arrangement was found in Friedrich Overbeck's "Triumph of Religion in the Arts" (154A).

“Etching” May 13, 1968 (155)

Continuing to mine the same monograph, Picasso chose Ingres's "King Philip V of Spain investing the Marshall of Berwick with the Golden Fleece after the Battle of Almanza 1818" (155A) to parody turning King Philip into a photographer in his "Etching" (155) of May 13, 1968. The ladies were found in the flags and figures on the right of (155A).

"Aquatint" of May 15, 1968 (156)

Again, Picasso amused himself by selecting "Jesus Among the Doctors" by Ingres (156A) to represent himself in his "Aquatint" of May 15, 1968 (156).

"Aquatint" of May 28, 1968 (157)

Picasso looked at Ingres's (155A) on May 28, 1968 along with Cranach's “David and Bathsheba” (127A) and did "Suite 347 L123 Old man thinking of his life: gallant youth” an aquatint (157).

"Etching" of August 29, 1968 (158)

"Etching" of August 29, 1968 (158) was lined from Alexandre Cabanel's "Paolo and Francesca" (158A) also reproduced in the book on Ingres.

"Etching" 1968 (159) "Rembrandt Giving Instruction in His Studio" Rembrandt School parody 1968 (160)

As late as 1968, Picasso still liked to parody "Rembrandt Giving Instruction in His Studio" Rembrandt School (160A). Rembrandt looks on from the left while the artist works in Picasso's (159) and (160).

"The Embrace" of November 19, 1969 (161)

One of the works Picasso responded to in creating his series of "The Embrace" was a "Paolo and Francesca" (161A) by William Dyce reproduced in Rosenblum's book on Ingres. Picasso's "The Embrace" (161) of November 19, 1969 borrowed from Dyce's figures and Cranach's “Ill Matched Couple” (161B).

"Etching-Aquatint, Scraper" of February 3-March 5, 6, 1970 (162)

Picasso's "Etching-Aquatint, Scraper" of February 3-March 5, 6, 1970 (162) joined the images of Ingres's "The Apotheosis of Homer" (162A) reproduced in the Ingres book along with "Massacre of the Innocents" by Matteo di Giovanni (162B) and Rembrandt's "Christ Presented to the People (162C)."

EXAMPLE FROM 1972

"Self-Portrait" of June 30, 1972 (163)

One of Picasso's last works, a "Self-Portrait" of June 30, 1972 (163), looks more like a photograph of a man on the cover of the newspaper which reported the story of the bombing of Guernica (163A) than it looks like a photograph of Picasso (163B), suggesting to me that Picasso may have perceived his appointment with death as a personal Guernica. On April 8, 1973 Picasso died.

Works cited.

Penrose, Sir Roland. Picasso: His Life and Work, 2nd ed. New York: Schocken, 1962 343. Print.

Penrose, Sir Roland. Picasso: His Life and Work, 2nd ed. New York: Schocken, 1962 343. Print.

Penrose, Sir Roland. Picasso: His Life and Work, 2nd ed. New York: Schocken, 1962 387. Print.