Picasso's Still Life "The Dessert"

Please be kind to this one...for I know it's in a very poor condition.

I know this is a reproduction of Picasso's famous still life "The Dessert". Whoever had this before didn't take care of it as much as they should had.

On the stretcher it's stamped "Picasso Still Life 156" There is also written of 156 on the canvas itself too.

My question is, what kind of reproduction is this? To me, I think it's oil. There's cracking and chips missing, which is exposing the canvas below it. Also, about how old is this reproduction possibly?

 

It's hard to be certain from your pictures.

Best guess: a c.1960s offset lithograph to canvas transfer, enhanced by acrylic medium to create brushstroke texture. Some of the medium may have been pigmented. Subsequently badly abused.

Seeing the actual picture may lead to a different conclusion.

 

I do believe you're right on with the observation.

Just wondering, would it be worth my time and money to have whatever left of this piece saved from chipping off? It's not a total loss.

 

I will take pictures of this with light behind it, later on today. When I did look at it with light behind it, the light came through bright, not as dark as what a piece of paper would do. The chips that came off, were brittle, very, very thin.

 

Here's a closer image of a missing chip. You can see how very thin the edges are.

 

Art restoration can be quite pricey. It would certainly not be worth restoring a photo-mechanical Picasso reproduction that has absolutely no resale value. This piece is essentially a poster on canvas.

 

"When I did look at it with light behind it, the light came through bright, not as dark as what a piece of paper would do. The chips that came off, were brittle, very, very thin."

If it's a canvas transfer, as I suggested, this is what you'd expect to see. There's no paper. It is removed in the transfer process.

From c.1960 to the emergence of giclée [inkjet], many reproductions on canvas used this process. They're still being made today, but not so often.

To less experienced eyes, canvas transfers textured with acrylic medium can look like oil paintings. That was the whole point of using the method.

 

Hi,
In the 60s it was popular to cover a print with a clear artist medium to give it brush strokes and a deeper color. I did a few of them, the best was to take high school graduation pictures and "repaint" them. Joe, save your earnings to buy something worth it.
greg

 

Oh I am, read my recent thread.

 

Hi Joe,
I must be missing a post of yours. Sorry,
greg

 

It's a new thread under Art. Titled "why Didn't I get these?!?!