sign in sign up
<<
Home , Pablo Picasso

STEDELIJK MUSEUM CHAGALL, , MONDRIAN

AND OTHERS AMSTERDAM

MIGRANTS IN The essential thing is to elongate the The essential them slim. and especially to make women their to enlarge After that it just remains ravished.” are They jewels. Dongen van Kees No academy could have given me all I all me given have could academy No the teeth into getting my by discovered and the shop windows, the , Paris.” of museums Chagall Marc Italian, German, French, is and was There those specific and Flemish . But I deny of adepts with definitions so fashionable an country every of fascism which make artists which all foreign hermetic cell from excluded.” are Ossip Zadkine “ “ “ I walk through this huge city. I look into I look into this huge city. through I walk But I almost eyes. thousand a thousand there.” find a soul never Modersohn-Becker Paula I want to show Paris in the carcass in the carcass Paris show to I want an ox.” of Chaim Soutine “ and Paris.” country my loves: two “I have “ The truly modern artist modern truly The the considers abstract of as the embodiment metropolis him than nature.” closer to it is life; Mondrian Piet or manipulate need not invent, The camera it imagine. nor does It does not paint, fool. the witness is a witness, The photographer his time.” of Germaine Krull Almost every evening, either I went either I went evening, Almost every came to mine. studio or Braque to Braque’s to see what the other had us had of Each each criticized We done during the day. other’s paintings.” Picasso Pablo “ “ “ 1 TRAIN DE BLESSÉS 22 Severini responded to Marinetti’s plea in 1915 by painting a series of military a series of painting to Marinetti’s plea in 1915 by responded Severini ‘Interest yourself in the war and its repercussions in Paris pictorially. Try to live to live Try pictorially. in Paris and its repercussions in the war yourself ‘Interest When the First World War broke out in 1914, many artists, foreigners among foreigners artists, many in 1914, out broke War World First When the Oil on canvas ), 1915 de blessés (Hospital Train Train Cortona, Italy, 1883 – Meudon, , 1966 France, 1883 – Meudon, Cortona, Italy, in Paris in the first years of the war. the of years in the first in Paris signs and newspapers create a striking impression of the agitation and commotion of impression a striking create signs and newspapers the shape of the Eiffel Tower. The accumulated clouds of steam, flags, houses, houses, steam, flags, of clouds The accumulated Tower. the Eiffel the shape of a soldier, a nurse and the interior of the train. The diagonal lines also clearly outline outline The diagonal lines also clearly the train. of nurse and the interior a a soldier, carrying wounded soldiers. Identifiable elements in the cubist composition include in the cubist elements Identifiable soldiers. carrying wounded he painted one of the many trains that passed his house house that passed his trains the many one of de blessés he painted In Train trains. to the enormous military, anti-Teutonic emotions that agitate France.’ anti-Teutonic military, to the enormous the fortune of being in Paris right now. Take absolute advantage, abandon yourself abandon yourself absolute advantage, Take now. right the fortune being in Paris of fortifications, the wounded, ambulances, hospitals, funeral processions). You have have You processions). funeral hospitals, ambulances, the wounded, fortifications, the war pictorially, studying it in all its marvellous mechanical forms (military trains, trains, (military mechanical forms studying it in all its marvellous pictorially, the war in a letter of November 1914: November in a letter of there was still a way that he could contribute to this purifying war, Marinetti told him war, to this purifying contribute that he could still a way was there service, however, and went on living the Parisian suburb of Igny. Nevertheless, Nevertheless, Igny. of suburb on living the Parisian and went however, service, same when their country entered the war in 1915. Severini was rejected for military for rejected was in 1915. Severini the war entered their country same when them, volunteered for the French army. Severini’s fellow Futurists in Italy did the in Italy did Futurists fellow Severini’s army. the French for them, volunteered light, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. Tommaso Filippo light, and ‘War is the only hygiene in the world,’ wrote the Futurist movement’s leading leading movement’s the Futurist wrote world,’ in the only hygiene is the and ‘War with it the destruction of all tradition. ‘We are beginning a new epoch of painting’ painting’ epoch of a new beginning are ‘We all tradition. destructionwith it the of group of young, revolutionary Italian artists who radically aspired to a new age, and age, to a new aspired Italian artists who radically revolutionary young, of group the place of his intellectual and spiritual birth. He was a Futurist – a member of a of a member – a Futurist spiritual birth. and He was intellectual his of the place November 1906, aged 27. He would later describe in his autobiography as autobiography in his the city later describe would 27. He 1906, aged November The Italian painter Gino Severini arrived in Paris on a , rainy morning in morning rainy grey, on a Paris in arrived Severini Gino painter Italian The COSMOPOLITAN PARIS 26 Just before the turn of the century another Dutch painter, , Dongen, van Kees Dutch painter, another the century the turn of Just before The Dutch painter Jan Sluijters could testify to that. In 1904 he won the testify In 1904 he won to that. could Sluijters Jan painter The Dutch oil on canvas , 1907 Bal Tabarin ’s Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, 1881 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1957 The Netherlands, 1881 – Amsterdam, ’s Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, gift promised Collector, a Private long-term loan from Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum JAN SLUIJTERS JAN oil on canvas Anna de Noailles, 1931 Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1877 – Monte Carlo, Monaco, 1968 Monaco, Carlo, 1877 – Monte The Netherlands, Rotterdam, KEES VAN DONGEN KEES VAN the Légion d’Honneur, France’s most prestigious honor. most prestigious France’s d’Honneur, the Légion Anna de Noailles is wearing with such pride – she had recently been conferred with been conferred recently had with such pride – she wearing Anna de Noailles is steals the show, however, is not the string of pearls, but the order of distinction of that the order but pearls, is not the string of however, steals the show, it depicts the countess as taller, slimmer and younger than she actually was. What was. than she actually younger slimmer and as taller, it depicts the countess he painted this portrait of Countess Anna de Noailles. As befits a society portrait, portrait, a society befits As Anna de Noailles. Countess of this portrait he painted a much sought-after portraitist who moved in high society circles in Paris. In 1931 In in Paris. circles in high society portraitist who moved a much sought-after which he attributed to his status as a foreigner. Van Dongen would later become later would Dongen Van as a foreigner. to his status which he attributed artists of the avant-garde, he experienced a fair amount of criticism from the press, the press, criticism from of he experienced a fair amount artists the avant-garde, of started off in Paris as an illustrator. Although he was soon connected with the soon connected with he was Although as an illustrator. started in Paris off positive reviews. positive reputation as a pioneer of into a steady stream of commissions and of stream a steady into modernism as a pioneer of reputation the Prix de Rome jury – he had to return the award – Sluijters was able to turn his was – Sluijters the award to return jury – he had de Rome the Prix of light that vibrates with energy. And although his new work was not to the taste of the taste of not to was work his new although And with energy. that vibrates light of lively nightlife scene. His painting of Bal Tabarin nightclub in is a whirl is a whirl in Montmartre nightclub Tabarin Bal of His painting scene. nightlife lively Sluijters much preferred Paris, where he threw himself wholeheartedly into the the wholeheartedly himself into threw he where Paris, preferred Sluijters much prestigious Prix de Rome, a bursary enabling him to live and work in Rome. But Rome. in work and to live enabling him a bursary de Rome, Prix prestigious was certainly no obstacle to an artistic career. certainly to an artisticobstacle no scandale was succès de career. work was exhibited at a gallery gained access to collectors and museums. And a and museums. to collectors access gained at a gallery exhibited was work that was having its heyday in Paris, could open a lot of doors. Anyone whose whose Anyone doors. of open a lot could in Paris, its heyday having was that style city’s artistic circles. Becoming associated with Modernism, the radically innovative innovative the radically Modernism, with associated Becoming artisticcity’s circles. In the first half of the 20th century Paris was a magnet for artists for a magnet the to join hoping was Paris century the 20th of half first In the BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS 34 Picasso’s portrait symbolized the interconnectedness of the cultures that the cultures of the interconnectedness symbolized portrait Picasso’s So it was that in September 1956—against a backdrop of colonial of a backdrop in September 1956—against that So it was The image were used again in 1956 on the poster for the groundbreaking the groundbreaking for in 1956 on the poster used again were The image encapsulating the need for recognition and respect for black culture. black for and respect recognition encapsulating for the need of the white French intelligentsia for the anticolonial movement, and powerfully and powerfully movement, anticolonial the for intelligentsia the white French of lithografie were being heralded at the congress, while also displaying the support a section of while also displaying at the congress, being heralded were 1956 19-22 septembre, Sorbonne, Paris, noirs, crivains et artistes des ecrivains international 1er Congrès Le Africaine. affiche Présence Malaga, Spanje, 1881 – , Frankrijk, 1973 Frankrijk, 1881 – Mougins, Malaga, Spanje, industrialization, religion. and PICASSO PABLO analyze the causes of the crisis: the slave trade and slavery, racism, colonization, racism, and slavery, trade the slave the crisis: of the causes analyze the visual of Haiti—the congress gave participants opportunity ample to the gave Haiti—the congress of sheer diversity of black culture—from Yoruba poetry to “negro spirituals” to spirituals” poetry to “negro Yoruba culture—from black of sheer diversity gathered at Sorbonne University in Paris. As well as offering a platform for the for a platform offering as As well in Paris. at Sorbonne University gathered independence wars, the cold war, racism and segregation—black intellectuals intellectuals and segregation—black racism cold war, the independence wars, this congress. and its eponymous publishers, the initiator of the initiator of publishers, and its eponymous at the magazine figure also a key cultures, and for the cultural, political and economic liberation of Africa. Diop was Diop was Africa. of political and economic liberation the cultural, and for cultures, crucial roles in this movement, battling against racism, for the recognition of black black of the recognition for battling against racism, in this movement, crucial roles Martinique), and Leopold Senghor (both from Senegal) played Senegal) played Senghor (both from Martinique), Diop and Leopold Alioune culture of Africa and its diaspora. Poets and writers such as Aimé Césaire (from (from writers such as Aimé Césaire and Poets and its diaspora. Africa of culture consciousness movement set on raising awareness of the shared history and history the shared of awareness on raising set movement consciousness had been educated in the city laid the foundations for Négritude, a new black black a new Négritude, for laid the foundations in the city been educated had years leading up to the Second World War, a new generation of intellectuals who intellectuals of generation a new War, World up to the Second leading years 1st International Congress of Black Writers and Artists in Paris, where, in the where, and Artists Writers in Paris, Black of Congress 1st International for the title page. for ) included this idealized portrait portrait collection 1949 poetry this idealized ( ) included Césaire’s for illustrations and formed the basis for an enduring friendship. Picasso’s Picasso’s friendship. an enduring for the basis artAfrican formed and Surrealism at a peace congress in Wrocław, Poland, and their shared interest in Communism, in Communism, interest shared and their Poland, in Wrocław, congress at a peace important and influential poets of the 20th century. Césaire and Picasso met in 1938 met Picasso and Césaire 20th century. the poets of and influential important The garlanded gracing this poster is that of Aimé Césaire, one of the most most the one of Césaire, Aimé of is that this poster gracing head garlanded The 36 ... trafficking in the dignity of a people.” of in the dignity ... trafficking “I would act as a Trojan horse that would spew forth hallucinating images with spew horse that would as a Trojan act “I would Lam was conscious of his exceptional position, given his Afro-Chinese his exceptional position, of given conscious was Lam Returning to Cuba was a defining moment in Lam’s life. The long journey via The long journey life. in Lam’s moment a defining to Cuba was Returning “I wanted with all my heart to paint the drama of my country, but by thoroughly thoroughly by but country, my of the drama heart paint to my all with “I wanted the plastic art of the blacks.” of beauty spirit, the the negro expressing Paris, 1953 Paris, (Behind the ), published to accompany Lam’s at Galerie Maeght, Maeght, exhibition at Galerie Lam’s to accompany published the mirror), (Behind Sagua la Grande, Cuba, 1902 – Parijs, Frankrijk, 1982 Frankrijk, 1902 – Parijs, Cuba, Sagua la Grande, one.” LAM WIFREDO life, “My painting is an act of decolonization, not in a physical sense, but in a mental in a mental sense, but decolonization, not in a physical of is an act “My painting life, the power to surprise, to disturb the of the exploiters,” Lam said later in his said later Lam the exploiters,” of the dreams to disturb to surprise, the power who is possessed by a spirit. a spirit. who is possessed by (woman-horse), symbolizing a person symbolizing a (woman-horse), featuring lithograph in this voodoo—as assertive Afro-Cuban identity, often incorporating the of Santería and Santería of the symbolism often incorporating assertive Afro-Cuban identity, and voodoo. He developed a surrealist visual idiom to express a conscious and a conscious idiom to express visual a surrealist He developed and voodoo. international avant-garde, and his connections with the spiritual worlds of Santería Santería of and his connections with the spiritual worlds avant-garde, international Cuban background, his knowledge on African visual culture, his network in the his network culture, on African visual knowledge his Cuban background, some sort hell of reduced to serving as a folkloric tourist attraction; “What I saw on my return was was return on my “What I saw attraction; tourist to serving as a folkloric reduced family, and the harsh realities of Cuban society: black culture in Cuba had been had in Cuba culture black Cuban society: of harsh realities and the family, Martinique and Haiti brought him into renewed contact with his black history, his history, with his black contact renewed him into Martinique and Haiti brought between the poet and the painter. between Négritude movement. This encounter marked the beginning of a lifelong bond lifelong a of the beginning marked This encounter movement. Négritude on Martinique, where he met the poet Aimé Césaire, one of the founders of the of the founders of one Aimé Césaire, he met the poet where on Martinique, prompted him to move back, reluctantly, to Cuba. On this journey he stopped off he stopped off On this journey to Cuba. reluctantly, back, to move him prompted with the Surrealists. Shortly afterwards, however, in 1941, the Second World War War World in 1941, the Second however, Shortly afterwards, with the Surrealists. Paris where he and became friends, and Lam made connections made and Lam became friends, Picasso he and Pablo where Paris career as an artist began in , where he studied, and in 1938 he moved to as an artist in 1938 he moved he studied, and career Spain, where began in Wifredo Lam was born in Cuba, to a Chinese father and Afro-Cuban mother. His His and Afro-Cuban father to a Chinese in Cuba, born mother. was Lam Wifredo

74