Selection of etchings by Picasso

During this summer we have presented in the museum’s rooms a selection of etchings produced by Picasso between 1920 and 1940, which form part of the museum’s collection and are not usually exhibited so as to preserve their conservation.

Minotauromachy. Pablo Picasso, 1935. Etching and scraping.

Etching is a modality of vacuum engraving with indirect incision that consists of covering the surface of the plate with a varnish that lets you draw on it with a pointed tool that scratches the varnish and exposes the plate. Afterwards the plate is submerged in acid and this acts on the parts that have been exposed.

Reclining Minotaur: Lover and Cup of Champagne. Paris. May, 17th 1933. Etching on copper plate, printed on paper. Edició Vollard. Acquisition, 1987

Sculptor and his Model with a Sculpted Group. Par.s. March, 31th 1933. Etching on copper plate, printed on paper. Edició Vollard, 1939. Acquisition, 1987

Picasso worked on this technique throughout his life, but it was in two periods, between 1904 and 1940, and between 1963 and 1973, when they made special impact on the production of the artist. From 1930 onwards, the etchings took on the form of a sort of intimate diary in which the artist reflected on himself and about his relation with the model. One of the emblematic works you can see is Minotauromachy, that dates back to 1935.

Model and Sculptor with his Sculpture. Paris. March, 17th 1933. Etching on copper plate, printed on paper. Edició Vollard, 1939. Acquisition, 1987

Sculptor with his Model. Paris. March, 23th. Etching on copper plate, printed on paper. Edició Vollard, 1939. Acquisition, 1989

Sculptor, Recumbent Model and Self-Portrait Sculpture as Hercules. Paris. March, 17th 1933. Etching on copper plate, printed on paper. Edició Vollard, 1939. Acquisition1986

Until the 24th September you can visit the museum’s rooms to see a good collection of works produced with this copperplate technique and which is characterised by its great richness of hues and by the large variety of topics they cover. Take advantage of these last few days!

Malén Gual
Museum curator