For decades considered one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. His most popular works were created in 1901-1904, i.e. blue period. He was in Paris then and struggled with depression, which was a consequence of the tragic death of his close friend. It was at that time that he painted the famous “portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto”, which was also the beginning of the era. From February 14 to May 26, 2025, the work will be made available to visitors at Courtauld Gallery in London.
“Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto” will go to the exhibition. Before this, experts made a surprising discovery
Mentioned was founded in 1901that is, just after Picasso’s arrival in the French capital. He portrayed his friend on him, and the profession of sculptor Mateu Fernandez de Soto. In the process of preparation for experts from the London Courtauld Institute of Art, however, they drew attention to the unusual brush strokes that became emphasized depending on the angle of incidence of light.
As the deputy director of the Barnaby Wright Museum explained in an interview with CNN, because they indicated that “Something is hidden under the surface”. At that time, it was decided to subject the work to one more detailed analysis. However, the results have exceeded their wildest expectations.
For decades, the “portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto” hidden a secret. Who is a woman in Picasso’s picture?
Picasso was tested using infrared imaging and X -rays. In this way, it was discovered that there was another portrait under a layer of paint, this time women. “He literally emerged before our eyes, piece by piece,” Wright reported.
However, her identity could not be determined. According to experts It could be a friend, a lover, but also completely random. – He did not whiten the canvas between the change of the topic to give him a clean account. He painted the figure of his friend directly to a woman … One character emerges from the other, transforming one into the other – said the deputy director of the museum.
The study shows that Picasso reworked the canvas at least three times before he achieved the final effect. There could be many reasons for this solution. The most likely option assumes that it did not have funds for the purchase of new materials. During this period he was only 19 years old and was just starting his career, so he could devote one of the works to create another. It is possible that it was also a deliberate action and an attempt to experiment, which is characteristic of his creative process.
Source: Gazeta
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