Picasso Prints: Natural History, Part 3

+ JMJ +

From Culture 24 (UK):

Here are more of Pablo Picasso's delicate black and white prints, showing images of animals etched onto plates during the 1930s and 1940s.

L'Atruche / The Ostrich, 1936/1942
Aquatint and Drypoint Etching by Pablo Picasso
Watermarked "Ambroise" in Lower Margin

Inspired by a book on natural history written in 1749 by Comte de Buffon, the plates were commissioned by a French publisher to provide illustrations for the work.

La Langouste / The Crayfish, 1936 / 1942
Aquatint and Drypoint Etching by Pablo Picasso
Watermarked "Vollard"

Picasso selected 31 animals described in the book and etched them, from his mind's eye, using a process known as aquatint.



Le Vautour / The Vulture, 1936
Original Sugar-lift Aquatint by Pablo Picasso



Le Crapaud / The Toad, 1936/1942
Aquatint and Drypoint Etching by Pablo Picasso
Watermarked "Vollard" in Lower Margin

The results, while not taken from real life, are both incredibly detailed and attractive evocations.

L'Ane / The Donkey, 1942
Etching by Pablo Picasso



Le Coq / The Rooster, 1936 / 1942
Aquatint and Drypoint Etching by Pablo Picasso


Click here to see Part 1 of this post.
Click here to see Part 2 of this post.