Picasso, 2 Statements

2 statements by Pablo Picasso, cover
Adoption Amount: $350
Category: Preserve for the Future
Location: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library

Picasso, 2 statements; / also a comment by Merle Armitage.

By Pablo Picasso. New York, Los Angeles: Merle Armitage, 1936.

Although the yellow cover of this book may appear unassuming, Picasso, 2 Statements is nothing less than a delightful junction of four different artists. As the title implies, the content of the book is based around two short essays by Pablo Picasso from the early 1930s. The essays are further supplemented by prominent graphic design artist Merle Armitage’s analysis of the writing. Armitage played a critical role in Picasso, 2 Statements as he not only wrote the commentary, but is also the publisher and designer of the book and typography. Armitage is considered one of the fathers of modern graphic design, and his simple yet captivating style is seen throughout Picasso, 2 Statements. The frontispiece of the book is a signed lithograph portrait of Pablo Picasso by the artist Giovanni Napolitano, pulled from stone by renowned lithographer Lyndon R. Kistler. The intersection of these four talented artists resulted in the creation of this magnetic book, an ode to the modernist aesthetic of the 1930s. The Hirshhorn's copy is number 60 of 112. 

Condition and Treatment: 

This piece is a small volume that is currently housed in a manila envelope. Conservators will create an acid free custom enclosure for this valuable item. The box will create a stable environment for the volume.

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