Picasso and the Progressive Proof

While there has been considerable interest in the later work of Pablo Picasso over the past several decades, there remains much to discover regarding his prodigious printmaking activities, specifically on the role played by the progressive proof. There has been an uptick in research and acquisition of these sets of proofs by museums and private collectors over the past 20 years, but exhibitions and publications have lagged behind. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), one of the towering creative figures of the 20th century, Picasso and the Progressive Proof: Linocut Prints from a Private Collection explores in depth an aspect of the artist’s late graphic output: the linoleum block or linocut. Published prints and their related proofs drawn from a notable private collection are examined in the context of themes Picasso developed over his entire career: the Spanish-born artist’s love of the corrida or bullfight; his interest in Antiquity; and above all, his competition with the Old Masters.