cover image The Late Picasso

The Late Picasso

Univ of Washington Pr. University of Washington Press, $29.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-295-96786-8

An international panel of art historians here debates the merits of Picasso's controversial late work, but it is the work, sumptuously reproduced, that best settles the question. Richardson's friendship with the artist lends credibility to his studies of the paintings, many, he notes, ``cannibalizing'' the work of old masters and Picasso's contemporaries to spur creation, and drawing inspiration from muse Jacqueline Hutin. Bernadac's essay explicates the themes of death, sex and history potently present in the work, while Baer discusses why the artist found printmaking uniquely rewarding. Sylvester makes the most persuasive case for Picasso's final flowering. Over 100 full-color plates, including double-page spreads that reproduce details, affirm Picasso's vibrantly anarchic ultimate power. (Feb.)