Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

The Models of Picasso's Rose Period: The Family of Saltimbanques

The Models of Picasso's Rose Period: The Family of Saltimbanques The word “model” in this context has a variety of meanings. The concept of “model” encompasses the external person who is represented by the artist, as well as the internal, conscious and unconscious, past and present mental representations of other individuals and the work of other artists. In all of these meanings, the relationships of artist and model have been quite specific to the artist under consideration and the historical–cultural period. For Picasso, the relationship of artist and model was particularly intense, reflecting myriad aspects of his personality and artistic development. The theme of artist and model was the subject of many of his paintings and graphic works. We focus particularly on his use of harlequins, saltimbanques, and circus performers during his blue and rose periods. The change in predominant models and moods between periods is noted. Among the issues considered is the relevance of these models in this particular period. Why were they especially salient objects for identification and for his artistic identity? Identification with the model may represent or be linked to earlier identifications of adolescence and childhood. We discuss the implications of these portrayals for his object relationships and the magical power, possession, and control in the development of his art. The painting “The Family of Saltimbanques,” his most ambitious work to date, the integration and culmination of this theme during this period, is of particular interest. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The American Journal of Psychoanalysis Springer Journals

The Models of Picasso's Rose Period: The Family of Saltimbanques

Download PDF
16 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/springer-journals/the-models-of-picasso-s-rose-period-the-family-of-saltimbanques-fyiOAA3L8S
Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 by Palgrave Macmillan Ltd
Subject
Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Psychotherapy; Psychoanalysis
ISSN
0002-9548
eISSN
1573-6741
DOI
10.1057/palgrave.ajp.3350023
pmid
17533383
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The word “model” in this context has a variety of meanings. The concept of “model” encompasses the external person who is represented by the artist, as well as the internal, conscious and unconscious, past and present mental representations of other individuals and the work of other artists. In all of these meanings, the relationships of artist and model have been quite specific to the artist under consideration and the historical–cultural period. For Picasso, the relationship of artist and model was particularly intense, reflecting myriad aspects of his personality and artistic development. The theme of artist and model was the subject of many of his paintings and graphic works. We focus particularly on his use of harlequins, saltimbanques, and circus performers during his blue and rose periods. The change in predominant models and moods between periods is noted. Among the issues considered is the relevance of these models in this particular period. Why were they especially salient objects for identification and for his artistic identity? Identification with the model may represent or be linked to earlier identifications of adolescence and childhood. We discuss the implications of these portrayals for his object relationships and the magical power, possession, and control in the development of his art. The painting “The Family of Saltimbanques,” his most ambitious work to date, the integration and culmination of this theme during this period, is of particular interest.

Journal

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis – Springer Journals

Published: May 10, 2007

References

  • Psychoanalysis and art, Freud and Leonardo
    Blum, H
  • Picasso: Art as autobiography
    Gedo, M
  • Life with Picasso
    Gilot, F
  • R. Penrose & J. Golding (Eds.) Picasso in retrospect
    Leiris, M
  • The psychological birth of the human infant
    Mahler, M; Pine, F; Bergman, A
  • Picasso and his friends
    Olivier, F
  • A life of Picasso
    Richardson, J
  • Trauma and mastery in life and art
    Rose, G
  • The location of cultural experience
    Winnicott, D