Pablo Picasso
83

Pablo Picasso. Female acrobat, 1930


FEMALE ACROBAT

Femme acrobate

1930

69x59 cm

Malaga, Museo Picasso

 

In winter 1929, Picasso returned to the theme Acrobats of the Rose Period and created six paintings on this theme. The first work of the series was "A Blue Acrobat" (1929-1930). Also there were some fantastic paintings such as "The Minotaur" (1928) and "The Swimmer" (1929). A possible visual source was a less well-known image of a female figure in the Temple of Hathor, which is part of the Dendera Temple complex (Egypt). This image was in the book belonging to the artist: a naked female figure in the form of a bridge. Most likely, the original inspiration for the series "Acrobats" appeared after the artist visited The Cirque Medrano.

There are also 1924-1925 drawings depicting female dancers. This unnatural figure - without the usual center, with face opposite to buttocks, scattered legs and parallel hands - refers to the figures of revolution, such as the swastika. In addition, the artist seems to give the viewer the freedom in determining the top and the bottom, and this feature is also present in some other works. The light figure against the dark background is enclosed in a thick black outline, which enhances the effect of the acrobat’s weightlessness. In 1929, a discussion on whether Picasso was a Surrealist or not was provoked. These paintings seem to be a good confirmation, but the artist himself later said that he "has never been out of reality." The French writer and ethnologist Michel Leiris denied any Picasso’s connection with the Surrealists and argued that "his creatures excite and attract because of their reality."



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