{"id":1452384,"date":"2022-04-25T08:01:03","date_gmt":"2022-04-25T12:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1452384"},"modified":"2022-04-25T08:01:56","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T12:01:56","slug":"washington-dc-picasso-exhibit-shows-off-the-artists-early-tender-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-dc-picasso-exhibit-shows-off-the-artists-early-tender-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Washington DC Picasso Exhibit Shows Off The Artist\u2019s Early, Tender Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwashington-dc-picasso-exhibit-shows-off-the-artists-early-tender-years%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1452384&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>If you find yourself in Washington, D.C. over the next eight weeks, make time for the Phillips Collection. There is much to love about the museum\u2019s new show, \u201cPicasso, Painting the Blue Period<em>,\u201d<\/em> a special exhibition running until June 12. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cExactly what an art exhibition in the 21st century ought to be,\u201d William Newton wrote in his recent review at <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/03\/08\/picasso-paints-the-blues-in-exemplary-washington-dc-exhibit\/\">The Federalist<\/a>. \u201cPossibly the best exhibition I\u2019ve ever seen at The Phillips.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Go to see the extraordinary work Picasso produced before he became famous, but also to experience a museum exhibition that respects both artist and viewer; allowing the work to speak for itself, and allowing the public to form their own impressions of the work\u2019s meaning and significance.<\/p>\n<p>I initially attended the show with a friend in March. My response was so strong, I returned solo the next day. The first exhibition in D.C. in 25 years to focus on the early works of the artist between the years of 1901-1904, the exhibit includes many examples of Picasso\u2019s realistic and figurative work.<\/p>\n<p>The show feels complete, yet not heavy-handed curatorially. The more than 70 works crafted by the artist when he was in his late teens and early 20s are presented in a straightforward manner, not overburdened with political or ideological statements or wall labels. As such, curators have created an exhibit free of the diversity, equity, and inclusion template prevalent in many arts institutions in our post-Covid culture.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike the artist\u2019s abstract and political work, \u201cGuernica\u201d <em>(1937)\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0\u201cLes Demoiselles d\u2019Avignon\u201d<em> (1907<\/em>), two paintings supposedly piled with communist and feminist meaning, Picasso\u2019s realistic work is less well known.<\/p>\n<p>I became enamored with such paintings a few years ago while volunteering as a school docent at the National Gallery of Art. Tucked away on the first floor of the East Building sat a small gallery of the artist\u2019s simple, but incredibly tender canvases from his Neoclassical period during the 1920s.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClassical Head\u201d\u00a0from 1922 portrays a woman consumed in thought, rendered in penetrating neutral tones. Despite the painting\u2019s impersonal title, the viewer feels a palpable connection to the sitter\u2019s intensity<em>. \u201c<\/em>The Lovers\u201d<em> (1923)<\/em>\u00a0seems simple, with its primary colors and cartoonish hands. Yet the romantic story between the two figures, almost cinematic, is undeniable.<\/p>\n<p>The work included in \u201cPicasso, Painting the Blue Period,\u201d was created decades earlier. No less sophisticated, it is emotional without being sentimental. In mourning for his friend and Barcelona studio mate, the painter\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Carles_Casagemas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Carles Casagemas<\/a>, who had committed suicide over a failed love affair, Picasso began taking a studied look at the world around him.<\/p>\n<p>The young Spaniard became sensitized to the plight of women, with considerable time spent observing the poor and indigent at the St. Lazare hospital and prison in Paris. The melancholy tenor of Picasso\u2019s emotional landscape manifested itself on canvas in hues of blue.<\/p>\n<p>Traditionally, the color signifies sea, sky, the color of your eyes. During his Blue period, Picasso employed the shade to hypnotic effect in the background, on clothing, and in skin tone. Many of the paintings, \u201cWoman in a Blue Shawl,\u201d \u201cWoman with Bangs,\u201d<em> <\/em>and \u201cMelancholy Woman,\u201d for example, contain only one figure. Positioned against a moody blue, they appear to be floating in a sea of despair. \u00a0Even \u201cBarcelona Rooftops,\u201d executed in two or three shades of blue, evokes a feeling of deep, mysterious night.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/502740@2x-864x1024-1.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-271170\" width=\"864\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/502740@2x-864x1024-1.webp 864w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/502740@2x-253x300-1.webp 253w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/502740@2x-768x910-1.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/502740@2x-1296x1536-1.webp 1296w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/502740@2x-1729x2048-1.webp 1729w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/502740@2x.webp 1916w\" \/><\/p>\n<p><figcaption class=\"col-12 col-md-6 body-xs px-15 pe-md-0 ps-md-30 py-15 m-0 text-center\">Pablo Picasso, Woman with Bangs. \u00a9 2022 Estate of Pablo Picasso \/ Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Shape tells the other part of the story, which contributes to the emotional weight of the paintings. \u201cWoman Ironing,\u201d<em> <\/em>rendered mostly in shades of blue, is contorted into an arc, the weight of her emotional and physical burden pulling the figure down onto the ironing board.<\/p>\n<p>One of my favorites, \u201cThe Women at a Bar,\u201d is moody yet modern, evoking a still frame from an art-house film<em>. <\/em>The curves of the women\u2019s bodies, the tilt of one figure\u2019s head, as well as the negative space between them, all suggest a long, lonely evening.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"899\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1902-Two-women-sitting-at-a-bar80x91cmRoyal-Academy-of-Arts-London-UK-1024x899-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-271171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1902-Two-women-sitting-at-a-bar80x91cmRoyal-Academy-of-Arts-London-UK-1024x899-1.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1902-Two-women-sitting-at-a-bar80x91cmRoyal-Academy-of-Arts-London-UK-300x264-1.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1902-Two-women-sitting-at-a-bar80x91cmRoyal-Academy-of-Arts-London-UK-768x675-1.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1902-Two-women-sitting-at-a-bar80x91cmRoyal-Academy-of-Arts-London-UK-1536x1349-1.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1902-Two-women-sitting-at-a-bar80x91cmRoyal-Academy-of-Arts-London-UK.jpeg 1793w\" \/><\/p>\n<p><figcaption class=\"col-12 col-md-6 body-xs px-15 pe-md-0 ps-md-30 py-15 m-0 text-center\">Pablo Picasso, Two Women at a Bar, Barcelona, 1902, Oil on canvas, 31 \u00bd x 36 in., Hiroshima Museum of Art, Japan,<br \/>\u00a9 2022 Estate of Pablo Picasso \/ Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In place of political statements expounding the paintings\u2019 meaning or relevance, the show\u2019s curators have judiciously included large photographs of the young artist. On the streets of Paris, or with his contemporaries in his studio at 130 Boulevard de Clichy, the gelatin silver prints lend a sort of biopic quality. I enjoyed them nearly as much as the paintings.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s nothing quite like pulling the curtain back on an artist\u2019s workspace, which is why studio tours are so popular these days. The photo of Picasso in his studio, in situ with his contemporaries, in period dress (Madame Torres\u2019 dress with a lace collar is particularly impressive), is the first image included in the show\u2019s extensive catalog. Although a bit posed, the photo feels like an authentic moment from turn-of-the-century Paris.<\/p>\n<p>No need to take my word for it, though. \u201cPicasso, Painting the Blue Period,\u201d at the Phillips Collection is a rare opportunity to view the work of an iconic artist at the start of his genesis, and form your own opinion, free of political or ideological agenda. This, in addition to the work itself, is the beauty and genius of this show.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<p>\n  Beth Herman is an artist, essayist, and school docent at The National Gallery of Art. In addition to The Federalist, her essays have been published in The Wall Street Journal, Legal Times, The Washington Times, and on NPR. Her children\u2019s books, &#8220;You, Me and Mr. Moopoo Makes Three&#8221; and &#8220;Mr. Moopoo in the Kitchen&#8221; are available on Amazon. <\/p>\n<p>When not at her easel or writing desk, Beth can be found out running with her husband of over 30 years, author and historian Arthur Herman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you find yourself in Washington, D.C. over the next eight weeks, make time for the Phillips Collection. There is much to love about the museum\u2019s new show, \u201cPicasso, Painting<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":710,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1452384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1452384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/710"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1452384"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1452384\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1452384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1452384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1452384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}