Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Myth of Pablo Picasso as a lone genius creator' unmasked

23/06/2022

Myth of Pablo Picasso as a lone genius creator' unmaskedPablo Picasso served as the centre of several creative hubs, though the famous artist rarely acknowledged his creative collaborators.

by The Conversation

23-06-2022 18:21

in Art and Artists

Pablo Picasso as we have never seen him before he was not a lone genius creator: Image: Adobe stock

Review: Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition 2022: The Picasso Century, NGV International.

--

The Picasso Century exhibition presents Picasso as we have never seen him before.

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is not presented as the lone genius creator - a mythology promoted by the artist himself - but as being at the centre of several creative hubs. He was surrounded by groups of brilliant creative men and women and his influence was a powerful presence for the whole 20th century.

In his life, Picasso rarely acknowledged his creative collaborators, this exhibition sets out to redress this omission.

--

The great French poet, critic and art collector Guillaume Apollinaire, wrote of his friend Picasso:

His insistence of the pursuit of beauty has changed everything in art [ ] The great revolution of the arts, which he has achieved almost unaided, was to make the world his new representation of it.

Leo Stein, another of Picasso's friends and patrons, when writing on the rivalry between Picasso and Matisse observed:

Matisse saw himself in relation to others and Picasso stood apart, alone. He recognised others, of course, but as belonging to another system, there was no fusion.

Some people may not like the phallocentric persona of Picasso but he did effectively change the course of western art and, in the process, changed the way in which we see the world.

--

Pablo Picasso Spanish 1881-1973. Weeping woman 1937, oil on canvas, 55.2 x 46.2 cm. National Gallery of Victoria. Purchased by donors of The Art Foundation of Victoria, with the assistance of the Jack and Genia Liberman family, Founder Benefactor, 1986.

Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo: NGV Picasso and his contemporaries Picasso affected the art of his friends and contemporaries, as well as that of those who never met him.

Although Apollinaire described him as achieving a revolution in the arts almost unaided and for Stein Picasso stood apart , in reality Picasso also reflected the cultural and intellectual milieu that surrounded him.

ALSO READ: WHEN WE SEE US': ZEITZ MOCAA LAUNCHS ART & OPULENCE FUNDRAISER GALA

This very ambitious multifaceted exhibition sets out to define Picasso's voice during his long career through a selection of over 80 of his works, many quite major and never previously seen in this country. It also investigates his interactions with his surrounding cultural milieu.

Pablo Picasso Spanish 1881-1973. Portrait of a woman (Portrait de femme) 1938 oil on canvas, 98.0 x 77.5 cm. 116.5 x 96.3 cm (framed) Centre Pompidou, Paris, Mus e national d'art moderne-Centre de cr ation industrielle Gift of the artist, 1947.

Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo Centre Pompidou, MNAM- CCI/Georges Meguerditchian/Dist. RMN-GP The Picasso paintings, graphics, sculptures and ceramics are accompanied by about 100 works by more than 50 of his contemporaries to create a context through which his significance can be assessed.

Apart from Apollinaire, the contemporaries considered include Georges Braque, Salvador Dal , Alberto Giacometti, Andr Masson, Juan Gris, Henri Matisse, Dorothea Tanning, Natalia Goncharova, Julio Gonz lez, Wifredo Lam, Suzanne Valadon and Joan Mir .

A large, curious and little-known painting hanging near the entrance of the exhibition, Marie Laurencin's Apollinaire and his friends (2nd version) (1909) from the Centre Pompidou.

Marie Laurencin, French 1883-1956. Apollinaire and his friends (2nd version) (Apollinaire et ses amis [2 me version]) 1909 oil on canvas. 130.0 x 194.0 cm. Centre Pompidou, Paris, Mus e national d'art moderne-Centre de cr ation industrielle. Donated in lieu of tax, 1973.

Fondation Foujita/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo Centre Pompidou, MNAM- CCI/Audrey Laurans/Dist. RMN-GP The painting shows Apollinaire with Picasso looking over his shoulder and surrounded by a number of figures including Gertrude Stein, Fernande Olivier, Marguerite Gillot, Maurice Cremnitz as well as Laurencin herself in the foreground in a pale blue dress. Stein, on the left, appears in the role of one of the three inspirational graces or Muses.

Apollinaire admired this painting and had it positioned over the head of his bed for much of his life.

Picasso was to paint portraits of many in this grouping, including that of Apollinaire who was amongst the first to recognise the significance of cubism and collected Picasso's work. Picasso was to refer to Apollinaire in jest as the pope of cubism .

Traversing artistic eras In the exhibition, there are a number of iconic Picasso paintings, including his Portrait of a man (1902-03), a classic work from his so-called blue period .

Pablo Picasso, Spanish 1881-1973. Portrait of a man (Portrait d'homme) winter 1902-03, oil on canvas, 93.0 x 78.0 cm/ Mus e national Picasso-Paris Donated in lieu of tax, 1979.

Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 Photo RMN-Grand Palais (Mus e national Picasso-Paris) / Mathieu Rabeau It is a brooding and introspective image where the tone defined an epoch.

Dated a few year later is the memorable Mother and child oil painting from the summer of 1907 that already speaks of primitivism and the radical formal transformation evident in the Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) that was to become a defining moment in the course of western art.

Pablo Picasso, Spanish 1881-1973. Mother and child (M re et enfant) summer 1907, oil on canvas, 81.0 x 60.0 cm. Mus e national Picasso-Paris Donated in lieu o
LINK: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/art-artists/pablo-picasso-art-...
See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

14/07/2026

Bowling Green State Upgrades Doyt Perry Stadium With New Daktronics LED Display

South end zone videoboard, cloud-based control system will be ready for 2026 football season...

14/07/2026

Mizzou Athletics Launches Connected Digital Platform

Redesigned website, enhanced mobile app unify content, ticketing, and personalized fan engagement...

14/07/2026

DePaul Athletics, Playfly Sports Agree to Multimedia Rights Partnership

Agreement spans sponsorship sales, digital monetization, radio production, and new practice facility naming rights...

14/07/2026

American Association Expands Broadcast Reach Through FanDuel Sports Network Partnership

Independent league adds 14 regional sports network affiliates, growing distribut...

14/07/2026

Euroleague Basketball Introduces Euroleague Basketball+ Digital Ecosystem Initiative

New strategy aims to unify competitions, content, fan engagement, and commercial...

14/07/2026

Professional Fighters League, ESPN Reach Multi-Year Media Rights Deal for Brazil

ESPN and Disney+ become exclusive home of PFL events in key international MMA market...

14/07/2026

TEGNA Names Scott Gill VP of Technology and Operations

Gill will oversee engineering, technology, and sports operations across the company's 64 local television stations...

14/07/2026

Guest Post: Dynamic Media Facilities Could Reshape the Future of Broadcast Workflows

Submitted by North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) As broadcasters con...

14/07/2026

Bayerischer Rundfunk Debuts Fully Software-Defined SMPTE ST 2110 Radio OB Van Built Around Lawo Technology

Modernized mobile unit combines HOME Apps, mc 56 console, and IP infrastructure ...

14/07/2026

Scripps Sports, ION Secure U.S. Rights to 2027 FIVB Womens Volleyball World Cup

Every match of the 32-team tournament will air across ION and Scripps Sports platforms in English and Spanish...

14/07/2026

FloSports Lands Exclusive U.S. Rights to IIHF Mens World Championship Beginning in 2027

FloHockey to stream every game of the annual international tournament under four...

14/07/2026

Minnesota Lynx Add Three Games to KARE 11s Over-the-Air Schedule

Victory+ telecasts to be simulcast on TEGNA-owned station, expanding free local distribution...

14/07/2026

Avalanche Tones debut with Chainsaw Suite

Plug-ins for heavy music Avalanche Tones is the brainchild of Ava Toton, a 17-year-old musician and developer who says her goal is to make the lives of gui...

14/07/2026

IK Multimedia introduce ReSing Voices Brazilian Pack

Launched alongside new Singer Showcase purchase model IK Multimedia's innovative vocal-synthesis software has just gained its latest voice add-on, the R...

14/07/2026

MIDI Innovations Awards 2026

Registration open until 1 September 2026 The MIDI Association have revealed that the registration deadline for this year's MIDI Innovation Awards has no...

14/07/2026

Launchkey MK4 88 joins Novation line-up

88-note model completes MK4 range Novation have just introduced the final model in their flagship MIDI controller keyboard range, the Launchkey MK4 88. Roun...

14/07/2026

CBS Atlanta Adds a Noon Newscast

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/07/2026

Tegna Names Scott Gill VP, Technology and Operations

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/07/2026

Colorado Wildfires Bring Close Call for Broadcasters

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/07/2026

IBC2026 sets conference agenda

IBC2026 has unveiled a powerful Conference programme bringing together global media leaders, technology innovators, creators, sports organisations, broadcasters...

14/07/2026

Nominations for Best of Show Awards at IBC2026 Now Open

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/07/2026

Broadcast Solutions delivers industry-first software-defi...

Broadcast Solutions, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, has delivered two highly capable outsid...

14/07/2026

UPDATED: Scripps, DirecTV End Blackout, Ink New Retrans Deal

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/07/2026

12 States Sue to Block $110 Billion Warner Bros./Paramount Merger

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/07/2026

Heidi Raphael to Head N.Y. State Broadcasters Association

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/07/2026

CBS Atlanta Expands Live Local News Programming

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/07/2026

Techtel Successfully Relocates AICD Broadcast Studio to New Sydney Headquarters

Techtel Successfully Relocates AICD Broadcast Studio to New Sydney Headquarters BroadcastBroadcast EquipmentLive StreamingBroadcast Studio2026 14 July Writ...

14/07/2026

First look revealed for Friday the 13th prequel, Crystal Lake, from A24 coming to Sky and NOW in the UK and Ireland this October

Tuesday 14 July 2026 First look revealed for Friday the 13th prequel, Crystal ...

14/07/2026

Surround Is Still the Standard

When immersive audio dominates industry headlines, it's easy to assume that every broadcaster is preparing for an Atmos future. The reality is quite differ...

14/07/2026

Fresh Thinking from MAD//Fest London 2026

Emma and Sophie from ICG's marketing team joined thousands of fellow marketers, brands and agencies at MAD//Fest London 2026, one of the UK's biggest ma...

14/07/2026

Seven paradoxes shaping the next era of media production - Episode 3

Why Trusted and Secure Media Operations Matter In this series, we explore the technologies, architectures and operational realities shaping modern media operati...

14/07/2026

How Merchants Can Prepare for the Next Evolution in Digital Commerce

Pilot Project Shows How Retailers Are Prepared for the Next Step in the Evolution of Digital Commerce Arvato Systems Drives Agentic Commerce Forward G terslo...

14/07/2026

Building a more sustainable future - Our commitment to climate action

As part of this commitment, weve joined the SME Climate Hub, publicly pledging to: measure our greenhouse gas emissions reduce them in line with a net zero p...

14/07/2026

Why Performance per Watt Is the Ultimate Metric for AI Infrastructure Efficiency

Power is AI infrastructure's inescapable constraint. How many tokens an AI factory can generate within a fixed power budget determines its revenue and profi...

13/07/2026

BravesVision GM Jeff Cravens on Launching MLB's Newest Team-Owned Network in 35 Days

The Braves opted to keep production in-house rather than hand it off to MLB...

13/07/2026

Behind The Mic: Adam Schefter Signs Multi-Year Extension with ESPN

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and repo...

13/07/2026

Eurovision Sport and European Athletics Bring Live Athletics to More Fans with Multilingual AI Commentary Initiative

Eurovision Sport is making live athletics more accessible to fans than ever befo...

13/07/2026

Milwaukee Bucks Return to Full-Season Over-the-Air Television for First Time in 31 Years

The Milwaukee Bucks will return to full-season over-the-air television for the 2...

13/07/2026

SMPTE Expands Education Offerings with Connected Learning Path for IP Media Workflows

SMPTE has announced an expanded education pathway for media technology professio...

13/07/2026

Vizrt Graphics Power Netflix MVP MMA Event at Intuit Dome

Vizrt has announced that its graphics technology was used by broadcast design agency Girraphic for Netflix's debut MVP MMA event, broadcast live from the In...

13/07/2026

ARRI To Sell Global Rental Business to H2 Equity Partners in Management Buyout

ARRI has announced an agreement to sell its global rental activities in Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America to H2 Equity Partners through a management...

13/07/2026

DAZN and Premier Boxing Champions Announce Global Broadcasting Partnership

DAZN has announced a partnership with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) to bring PBC fight nights to DAZN subscribers globally. The partnership begins Saturday, Ju...

13/07/2026

TikTok and WSC Sports Partner To Connect Sports Rightsholders With Content Creators

TikTok and WSC Sports have announced a strategic partnership that gives sports r...

13/07/2026

Ross Video Powers MLB All-Star In-Venue Production for Seventh Consecutive Year

Two new Ross products -Brushback: Full Count and CapGo - are debuting at Citizens Bank Park All-Star festivities...

13/07/2026

MSG Networks Jackie Lyons on Knicks Title Run Coverage, XR Studio Launch, and RSN Production Strategy

MSG Networks' was given exclusive access during the Knicks' unforgettabl...

13/07/2026

Sundance Institute Announces 2026 Producers Labs Fellows

LOS ANGELES, July 13, 2026 - Sundance Institute today announced the 10 producers selected to participate in its annual Producers Labs taking place July 13-18 fo...