For Sale:
A lot of people think that Picasso invented that crazy modern way of painting called Cubism more or less by himself. That couldn't be further from the truth. A lot of people helped (especially the anonymous creators behind they African sculptures he found so inspiring) - but in Paris, his main help was his partner in revolutionizing the way things in painting could be seen: Mr. Georges Braque.
Picasso was violent in his work. Visceral. Rip, tear, rend, etc.
Braque, by contrast was civilized, urbane, more polished.
Still it took the two of them, practically roped together like mountaineers, to crack the accumulated weights and codes of hundreds of years of basic realism. Picasso, after this feat was accomplished, took off to become artist of the century, whereas poor Braque's reputation became a footnote.
Happily, his reputation has been restored.
Here we see a cafe table, where there's a basic sort of arrangement of cafe objects - with hints of newspaper and book headlines showing here and there. It's a refined depiction of a place where a few hours were spent in leisure, near a window, with some engaging things to read.
This is a hand painted reproduction by myself of the original, done to get myself back into painting after a long hiatus.
It measures about 24 x 30" , oil on canvas on a wooden frame.
It's currently in the O'Connor Gallery in Gananoque, Ontario. Take a peek!
You know. I might have use for a Braque. I always find it strange that people think Picasso invented cubism, Demoiselles is a fascinating study but the point was to make the women ugly because that's his comment, Duchamp with Nude Descending even though the cubists rejected this painting shows us that beautiful women can be painted in this new style and render a beautiful painting. Picasso doing early cubism is a lot like Braque. A lot. And there's a woman in Russia maybe doing cubist like work in the 19th century. Anyhoo. I have to sort finances but...
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