More than 80 engravings by Pablo Picasso are the subject of a new exhibition at the British Museum in London.
The exhibition called “Picasso: the engraver“explores the art of engraving, from 1904 to 1971, two years before the artist's death. It opens with an etching entitled “The frugal meal“, dating from 1904. This is one of the first engravings made by the artist in Paris, during his blue period (1901-1904).
« What we wanted to do is show the best examples from each of the main periods of his production, and tell the history of his production, show the different styles, show some of the subjects that interested him, like the circus, the bullfighting, the main relationships he had throughout his life. And then, at the end of the exhibition, we will show a good selection of Suite 347, this remarkable suite of 347 etchings, aquatints and drypoints that he created in just under seven months, at the age 86, and which we acquired in full in 2014 “, explained Catherine Daunt, curator of modern and contemporary prints at the British Museum.
In Suite 347, a series of prints produced between March 16 and October 8, 1968, Picasso evokes the writer Honoré de Balzac, the painters Rembrandt, El Greco and even General de Gaulle, in a caricature created at the time of the May 1968 revolt in France.
Best known for his paintings, Pablo Picasso produced engravings throughout his career, approximately 2,400 in total. He created intaglio prints, lithographs and linocuts and worked in collaboration with specialist printers.
The exhibition will be on view until March 30, 2025 at the British Museum. The various works on display highlight the artist's little-known career as an engraver.
