ARTISTS / PRODUCTION

The process of production of a work of art is usually the following one: It breaks of the gestation of the idea, where the artist "organizes" a series of mental imágene, which it is defining and clarifying it in mental sketches, both in the conceptual aspect, and in the technician. Next, bocetando enters the creative stage and specifying the idea on sketch or preparatory drawings, in which the most suitable technical achievement aspects intervene with big leading role, well be a painting or a sculptural work. When the work has been clarified, in conceptualidad and skill, it passes to the stage of the definitive achievement of the work.

Of course, many other examples might be exhibited, but next there is reviewed the method continued by Picasso in the project and achievement of the "Guernica", a familiar work to the majority. In January, 1937, the republican Spanish Government entrusted to Picasso a wall painting to place in the Spanish Pavilion of the International Fair of Paris. The phase of gestation and that of exposition they are characterized by the demand of concentrating on only one image (although very big and complex) the drama of the Spain lacerated by the civil war and by the bloody fascist repression. The destruction of Guernica, realized by the German bombings in April, 1937 "acted like catalyst, for his creative invenciónn, approaching better than any event the nature of the entire situation that Picasso had the order of doing".

In the exposition phase attention is paid to the approach of the structure of the work, establishing a relation between the content historicoideólogico and the pictorial language; and it, across the forecast, more or less exact, of the skill compositiva and of the stylistic and expressive elements to be used. The phase of "putting in form", that in practice is almost simultaneous to the achievement, is documented by sixty one preparatory studies (sketch, sketches, small paintings, etc.) in that the principal problems of the composition remain decisive. The first sketch is of May 1, 1937 and the last ones are of October of the same year. Finally, the final executive phase in a panel of 3,45 x 7,70 meters.

To conclude we might quote the proper Picasso: "A picture be thought nor decided in his details prematurely, but it changes with the change of the ideas of the artist... But it happens, even, a fact much surprised that it is necessary to bear in mind: a picture does not change substantially and the original vision remains almost intact, in spite of the appearances".

THE COLLECTOR
... in the study

Not at all so suggestive for a collector like buying in the study of a painter or sculptor. There is more work to choose that ene the gallery and at more accessible price. On the other hand, the knowledge of the artist helps to comprise and to value all that does.

For such a need a common friend does not turn out to be essential. The artists are, inside his explicable shyness before the layman, nations of excellent social solfa, who answer even to the collision by phone.

Any more it is not good for the artist mercadear in the study or in the workshop, although there is no exclusive interview agreement with the dealer. East (the good dealer, clear one) turns out to be essential, since across exhibitions, publicity and connections with collectors, critics and publishers manages (or the artist must manage) to support in candlestick.

Also the tira ends up by turning out to be oppressive for the sensibility of an artist and it slackens on the price of the work or the pursuit of the defaulting client: that is to say, the work tenderil.

33 % that usually takes a gallery on the price of a picture can look like to the artist an excess, but if, as we say, the merchant is serious, his activity contains strong expenses. Also, this pocentaje or something similar would fade away the vende in the study, because of the inevitable reduction granted to the buyer.