Artwork of the week: Guitarra (1913)

Pablo Picasso, “Guitarra”, 1913
Pablo Picasso, “Guitarra”, 1913
Carboncillo, lápiz, tinta y papel pegado, 66,3cm x 49,5cm
MoMA, Nueva York
© Sucesión Picasso, VEGAP, Madrid, 2023.

Guitar (1913) is a work created by Pablo Picasso that belongs to the so-called synthetic cubism. It is a significant piece that forms part of his exploration of the representation of the projection of objects in space, represented on a flat surface. By using papier collé and gluing other materials to the canvas, Picasso introduces an element of everyday life into an abstract representation, producing strangeness.

Cubism, developed between 1908 and 1914 by Picasso and Georges Braque, was characterised by the representation of objects from different angles at the same time through the use of geometric figures. Between 1912 and 1914, Picasso produced Cubist constructions that represented a significant change in his sculptural work. Instead of modelling three-dimensional forms, Picasso turned to the technique of assemblage and moved away from traditional sculpture, adopting a more experimental approach. Very rudimentary depictions of guitars, made of cardboard, wire or sheet metal, were common during these years.

In Guitar (1913), Picasso employs the technique of papier collé, which consists of gluing fragments of paper and other materials to the canvas, combining the representation of abstract and synthetic elements where, in addition to charcoal or ink, he uses newspapers and wallpaper, elements of everyday life, which refer to reality and incorporate colour into the composition.

The work is made up of a combination of simple geometric shapes, silhouettes that suggest the shape of the guitar. The technique used is simplified, giving the impression of a sketch rather than a finished work. In the piece, Picasso reintroduces the curved line, always associated with the musical instrument.

It is worth noting that the newspaper articles, in this and other works from the same period, often speak of episodes of war, pacifist demonstrations, strikes and episodes of violence, evoking the conversations that took place in Paris at the time.

Sources:

Musée national Picasso-Paris. Guitarre. Recuperado de https://www.museepicassoparis.fr/fr/guitare

Musée national Picasso-Paris. Violon. Recuperado de https://www.museepicassoparis.fr/fr/violon

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/489193

The Metropolitan Museum of Art:  Picasso: Guitars 1912-1914 | Picasso's Collage Materials https://www.google.com/search?q=papier+coll%C3%A9+y+picasso&rlz=1C1FKPE_esES1058ES1058&tbm=vid&sxsrf=APwXEdciq5WHNicvDcPl4BURwz2IE3KZPA:1687348677743&ei=xeWSZIXwLL-lkdUP5NmegA8&start=10&sa=N&ved=2ahUKEwjF5rHUp9T_AhW_UqQEHeSsB_AQ8NMDegQIDxAW&biw=1280&bih=601&dpr=1.5#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:d59074dc,vid:qxqR3ld2RoA

Picasso Posse: Collage and Papier Collé. Philadeplphia Museum of art: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHmeRiR5s_U