FrançaisFrom Can to Canvas
Early uses of house paints by Picasso and his contemporaries
in the first half of the 20th century
International symposium
Marseille, May 25-26 and Antibes, May 27, 2011 (France)
This three-day symposium represents the culmination of a collaborative research program between the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC), the Centre Interrégional de Conservation et Restauration du Patrimoine (Interregional Centre for Heritage Preservation and Restoration, CICRP, Marseille) and the Musée Picasso in Antibes. It will be the first to deeply delve into the making of early house paints (and other non-artists' paints) and the meanings associated with their use by artists before 1950. Studies of Ripolin® brand house paint, said to have been used extensively by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) and his contemporaries will receive special attention.
Call for Papers
Brochures from the historic paint collection
of the Art Institute of Chicago
Centered mainly on oleoresinous house-paints, this meeting has for main objective to gather perspectives from different viewpoints, those of Picasso scholars, cultural heritage scientists, conservators, curators, art historians and paint specialists, thus showcasing the most current state of scholarship on the subject. Presentations and discussions aim to foster communication across disciplines and also to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas on the applications of research being done on non-artists' paints and on developing further collaborations of this kind.
The following areas of research will be approached:
- Introduction (history and meaning) of non-artists' paints and other materials in the artistic production of the first half of the 20th century.
- Case studies dealing with the use of Ripolin® paint by Picasso and his contemporaries (paintings, works on paper, architecture, sculpture and beyond).
- Scientific analysis of non artists' paints (physical and chemical properties of paint in reference samples or works of art) and other aspects of early modern paint technology.
- Degradation and conservation of artworks with non-artists' paints.
Contributed and invited presentations, a round table and discussions will take place in Marseille on May 25 and 26. Furthermore, a special study day will be held in Antibes on May 27 to present the re-evaluation, with the help of advanced scientific techniques, of the paintings and works on paper by Picasso of the Musée in Antibes, of key importance for the study of Picasso's use of non-artists' paints.
