Pablo Picasso a Retrospective the Museum of Modern Art New York May 22 September 16 1980

This book was published to back-trail the exhibition "Pablo Picasso: A Retrospective", shown May 22-September 16, 1980 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The exhibition was organized to celebrate the fiftieth ceremony of the founding of the museum. The exhibition, not surprisingly, set omnipresence records at MOMA.

The paperback edition which I have is typical of such books issued in conjunction with a major art exhibit. Information technology's large (about ix x 11 inches), thick (450+ pages) and heavy (over 4

This book was published to accompany the exhibition "Pablo Picasso: A Retrospective", shown May 22-September 16, 1980 at the Museum of Modernistic Fine art in New York. The exhibition was organized to celebrate the fiftieth ceremony of the founding of the museum. The exhibition, not surprisingly, set attendance records at MOMA.

The paperback edition which I have is typical of such books issued in conjunction with a major art exhibit. Information technology's large (virtually ix x 11 inches), thick (450+ pages) and heavy (over 4 pounds). It's definitely a "java table" book – just the sort of book that a guest, left lonely for a few moments, might savour picking upwardly and perusing (bold 1's living room was not dominated past a powered up television). This is not a "reading" book, not a Picasso appreciation book. There are actually very few words in the book other than the captions to the illustrations, and the introductory "chronologies" (very squeamish, by the manner, and prepared by Jane Fluegel) for each of the sixteen periods which the exhibit'south curators (William Rubin gets top billing) divided Picasso's artistic life into. These periods run consecutively from 1881-1899 (the 2nd longest) to the last and longest, 1954-1973. Four intense periods of Picasso's work cover a mere two years each: 1900-1901, 1902-1903, 1907-1908 and 1912-1913.

Good points? The sheer number of illustrations of Picasso'south works contained in the book, and the detailed information most each contained in the caption. As to number, I estimate about a 1000 illustrations. In most captions (I tin can't vouch for all) the data given includes: proper name of the work; where Picasso was when he created it (Paris, Boisgeloup, etc.); the twelvemonth, and sometimes more detailed dating; the medium (oil on canvas, etc.); the dimensions of the work (both inches and cm); entry numbers in diverse catalogues raisonnes (primarily Zervos) where available for the work; and the owner of the work (Guggenheim Museum, Private Drove, etc.).

Another plus is the fact that many of the illustrations are large enough that they occupy a page by themselves. And so nosotros're definitely not talking here about a volume filled with hundreds of teensy pictures.

Less than optimal points? Get-go, for me, the lack of an alphabetize. I appreciate the fact that an exhaustive index would take added many, many pages to the book. Nevertheless, and despite the fact that the illustrations are bundled in chronological lodge, if one wants to encounter The Quondam Guitarist, even find out whether it'south depicted in the book, it'due south irritating to have to know, first, when information technology was created (1903) and and then look in that chapter of the book to notice if it'south there (information technology is). And of course, if one only knows the name, but not what the work actually looks like, one is reduced to looking at the titles given in the captions, and not simply at the pictures.

Some other problematic indicate is that although perhaps 200 of the illustrations are in color, hundreds are not. Certainly, pen and ink drawings require no color; simply even paintings from Picasso's Blueish Period, which often are close to monochromatic works, cannot be appreciated at all in a blackness and white illustration. The Onetime Guitarist is a case in point. Take a look at the Wiki analogy

and compare it with this, from the book:

Bottom line? Although the volume is, to my noesis, out of print, both used and new copies are readily available. Given that, and despite the drawbacks mentioned, I recommend that if you lot are looking for a picture volume of Picasso's art, covering his entire artistic life, you should certainly consider this book. It may non be the all-time choice for you, simply unless you know of something else that you recall is very most perfect, yous should look at this before making a decision.

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Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2691430-pablo-picasso

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