Animals In Art: Picasso & Lump, The Artist And His Furry Muse

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In 1881, Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga, Spain, where he studied painting, sculpting and printmaking. He is considered one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century, and is acclaimed for co-founding the Cubist movement, the invention of constructed sculpture and the co-invention of collage. Picasso’s body of work is unparalleled in scope, by the time he died at the age of 91 he signed over 45,000 art pieces.

Picasso & Lump: A Dachshund’s Odyssey – is an American photojournalist and one of the most influential photographers of our time, David Douglas Duncan’s 26th photo book and his 11th featuring his longtime friend Pablo Picasso.

Originally the fated dachshund Lump lived with Duncan, but Duncan was busy with travel, work, and his other dog, a huge Afghan hound to give Lump the attention he wanted. When Duncan visited Picasso at his Villa La Californie, on the French Riviera with Lump, the eager dog took off and made himself immediately at home on the grounds, and that’s where he stayed from that day on!

Duncan is quoted saying; “He was a very engaging dog, and as soon as he arrived at Picasso’s house he decided this was heaven and this was where he was going to stay.” Picasso and Lump serendipitously bonded, and the rest is art history.

This 100 page book features photographs of Picasso’s last sixteen years, which he lived happily with his furry muse Lump. Ironically the fated pair both died in 1973. The dachshund and the artist were the perfect match and their love for one another is portrayed beautifully through Duncan’s photographs.

 

Picasso’s Las Meninas Velasquez featuring Lump.

A book about Picasso wouldn’t be complete without honoring his artwork. Lump had a few cameo appearances in his masterpieces, such as his renditions of Valazquez’s Las Meninas. When Picasso first met Lump, he was instantly inspired and created a plate with his image on it, and their bond was soulfully and artistically sealed.

 

Picasso painting a plate with Lump’s image on it.

Picasso once quipped about animals and art, “God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style; he just goes on trying other things.”

Picasso shares Lump’s artwork with him.

 

 

 

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