Pablo Picasso - The Vollard Suite

Pablo Picasso is regarded as one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. Pablo Picasso literally changed the face of modern art. Pablo Picasso inspired others with his passionate images, creative intellect and brilliant vision. The Suite, also known as the Vollard Suite, named after Ambroise Vollard, Pablo Picasso's Paris art dealer, is a complete collection of black-and-white etchings. The Vollard Suite Etchings, some of which are very detailed date from 1930 to 1937.

Chosen from a large volume of Pablo Picasso's graphic achievements, the Vollard Suite collection traces the erotic and passionate love affair between Pablo Picasso and Marie-Therese Walter, his model, and mistress. She captivated him and was the object of his "amour fou" or "mad love." Pablo Picasso and Marie-Therese Walter met in 1927 and she soon became his inspiration for the Vollard Suite. Described as his "eternal" love, she was enraptured by Pablo Picasso. At their first meeting Pablo Picasso took her arm and stated; "I'm Picasso! You and I are going to do great things."

Michael Bell, Gallery Director for Carleton Gallery, at Carleton University in Canada, who put together the Exhibit, Pablo Picasso - the Complete Vollard Suite explains that the Vollard Suite is autobiographical: "It provides real insight into how the artist conceived of himself as an artist and as a human being." The collection reveals the raging internal struggle between Picasso's artistic and sexual drives. While a full range of emotion is characteristic of Picasso's innovative work, this expression and energy is concentrated in The Vollard Suite etchings. The exhibit "pays homage to Picasso's Mediterranean heritage, to his artistic predecessors such as Rembrandt, and to the notion of creativity central to the Western artistic tradition," states Bell.

The Vollard Suite by Artist, Pablo Picasso is composed of several thematic groupings. The complete collection is united by the powerful themes of tenderness, love and violent sexuality. The main groupings include: "The Battle of Love," "Rembrandt," "The Sculptor's Studio," "The Minotaur" and "The Blind Minotaur," and three portraits of Ambroise Vollard. The whole Suite is given coherence by two groups, "The Sculptor's Studio" and "The Minotaur." These groups highlight Pablo Picasso's relationship with Walter and his work as a sculptor, and follow Pablo Picasso as he separates from Walter and moves on to a new love affair with Dora Maar. The stirring tale ends here. "It stops with Picasso's tragic awareness that he must acknowledge Marie-Therese's role in freeing him from the destructive relationship with Olga, his wife," explains Bell.

Ambroise Vollard helped launch the careers of such respected artists as Pierre Auguste Renoir and Paul Cezanne. Ambroise Vollard was a respected Paris picture dealer and publisher of limited-edition books, lithographs & etchings. Ambroise Vollard's gallery was known as the centre for leading art figures in Paris and helped stimulate a new movement in art. In 1901, Ambroise Vollard's gallery hosted Pablo Picasso's first Paris exhibition. Vollard eventually made the transition from art dealer to publisher. He began to purchase Pablo Picasso's etching plates in 1913. Later, in 1937, Pablo Picasso and Ambroise Vollard made a valuable trade. In exchange for some paintings he wanted, Pablo Picasso gave Vollard 97 copper plates of his work dating from 1930 to 1936. Pablo Picasso also offered to sketch Ambroise Vollard's portrait each time he visited. Vollard was killed in a car accident in 1939 and only three portraits were ever completed. The resulting Vollard Suite did not become available for sale until 1950. Roger Lacouriere was the printer who released the limited edition of 303 folio book prints.

The Vollard Suite is a brilliant and powerful collection of Pablo Picasso Etchings. If you want to own one of Pablo Picasso's Artwork, whether it is an Etching from the Vollard Suite, a Lithograph from Sable Mouvant, a Vallauris Linocut, or an After Picasso Lithograph published by Charles Sorlier, hand signed and numbered by Pablo Picasso, please click on one of the links to enter the Georgetown Frame Shoppe web site. We are Pablo Picasso Specialists.

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