Two Tales (Dos Contes)

Artist Pablo Picasso (Spanish (active France), 1881-1973)

Publisher Editorial Albor, Paris-Barcelona, 1947 (Henri Jonquières)

Author Ramón Reventós (Spanish, 1881-1924)

Date1947

DimensionsChemise: H: 13 9/16 in. (344 mm); W: 10 3/8 in. (264 mm); Depth: 1 1/4 in. (32 mm).
Book: H: 13 1/4 in. (337 mm); W: 10 1/4 in. (260 mm); Depth: 1/2 in. (13 mm).
Page (untrimmed): H: 13 1/16 in. (332 mm); W: 10 3/16 in. (259 mm).

MediumOriginal prints: 4 engravings. Text: letterpress (typeface: Rockwell), and collotype reproductions of the artist's brush lettering. Paper: ivory Lana wove paper, watermarked.

ClassificationBooks

Credit LineGift of Molly and Walter Bareiss in honor of Barbara K. Sutherland

Object number

1984.892

Not on View

Label TextPicasso had known the author Reventós since before 1900 in Barcelona. Picasso wanted to make his Catalan wirings better known in Paris, especially as Reventós' untimely death in 1923 contributed to his obscurity. This book was published through the efforts of Catalan compatriots in Paris. The first tale is about the last centaur. Picasso made the engraving depicting the centaur's birth in a stable, and then made an engraving with three scenes from the story: the centaur pulling his master's cart; the centaur (picador and horse in one) fighting a bull; and finally, the centaur as tutor to the narrator's children. The second tale is about a faun who wishes to die of regret. Picasso's third engraving shows the faun playing his double flute, and the final engraving, with three scenes on the same page, presents: the faun, as goatherd, locking horns with the goat; the faun posing for the artist; and the death of the faun. Picasso also made the designs (reproduced from his ink drawings) for the cover, title pages, and ornamental initials. Fauns and centaurs abound in Picasso's work in other media during this period.Published Referencescf. Goeppert, Sebastian, et al., Pablo Picasso: The Illustrated Books, Catalogue raisonné, Geneva, 1983, no. 44

cf. Garvey, Eleanor M., The Artist & the Book, 1860--1960, Boston, 1961, no. 232

cf. Strachan, W. J., The Artist and the Book in France: The 20th Century livre d'artiste, New York, 1969, p. 340.

Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, Picasso as an Illustrator, Jan. 23-May 29, 1988, no. 18.