series of gouache paintings that Picasso
made in 1919–1920, which follow his
work for the Ballets Russes. The Commedia
dell’Arte theatrical themes explored by the
Russian Ballet made their way into the
prints: we find the characters of Harlequin
and Pulcinella. We also find the guitar—
the instrument of the troubadour—
reconfigured by way of Cubism.
The Coiffure, 1923
lithograph on paper, ed. 20/50
14 15/16 x 11 1/8 inches
WAM 1950.1010
These themes blended with Picasso’s bold,
geometric Cubist style of that era, resulting
in images that are arresting in color and
wildly inventive in composition.
In addition to the brilliantly colored
pochoirs, this show includes some classic
black and white work by the master. One
is The Coiffure of 1923. In his neoclassical
style, Picasso transforms the visual solidity
of Greek sculpture into minimalist modern
lines. Though this image is small in scale
and the artist uses almost no detail, a
sense of classical grandeur is realized by
positioning the figures in a pyramid.
of brilliant etchings from Picasso’s famous
Vollard Suite, courtesy of Columbia
collectors and longtime CMA supporters
Melissa and Joe Blanchard.
Picasso was arguably the most influential
painter, sculptor and printmaker of the
20th century. The inventor of Cubism,
along with his colleague Georges Braque,
Picasso innovated with every medium he
practiced, which was most of them.
Among Picasso’s artistic achievements was
his work in the theater. In 1916, he met
Sergei Diaghilev, the director of the Ballets
Russes (the Russian Ballet), who suggested
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columbiamuseum.org
that Picasso create the sets and costumes
for his next ballet, Parade. Picasso agreed,
and Picasso: Master Prints features 10 color
pochoirs that were made in the wake of his
work for the Ballets Russes.
“Pochoir” is French for silkscreen. This type
of print, rarely made now, was once very
popular. The process is time-consuming:
for each color, a stencil is made and color is
hand applied with a soft brush to make the
print look more like an actual painting.
This set of pochoirs was published
by Picasso’s dealer of that time, Paul
Rosenberg. The prints closely mimic a
The predominant theme of the Vollard
Suite is the Sculptor’s Studio, which deals
with Picasso’s engagement with classical
sculpture. His model was his young lover
Marie-Thérèse Walter, featured in many of
the etchings. We see a dialogue alternating
between the artist and his creation and
between the artist and his model. Classical
linearity and repose within the studio also
alternate with darker, violent forces. The
latter are represented by scenes of violation
and by the Minotaur, the half-man, halfanimal of classical myth which became
central to Picasso’s personal mythology.
This exhibition is a rare opportunity for
South Carolinians to examine the graphic
work of one of the 20th century’s greatest
artists up close. The CMA thanks the
Weatherspoon Art Museum, Mr. and Mrs.
Joe R. Blanchard and Ms. Ann Marie
Stieritz and Mr. John B. Carran for their
involvement and support with this show. n