Looking back at Degas

Lecture at the National Gallery to accompany the “Picasso : Challenging the past” exhibition given by Elizabeth Cowling, an author of many books in Picasso.

The lecture focused on Picasso’s response to a series of monotypes by Degas which he owned. These pictures showed scenes from brothels. Picasso created a collection of series of prints of similar scenes, many including Degas as a voyeur.

The lecture analysed all the reasons why Picasso was moved by these works in great and fascinating detail. I remembered seeing the series in the Picasso Museum in Barcelona and did not really understand them however this talk really illuminated the topic.

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