Pablo Picasso and Lump
I read the story of Picasso and Lump and how they came to be sharing their lives by the photographer David Douglas Duncan, who was Lump’s original owner, and decided to try a portrait of them together.
Here is the original photograph, taken by Duncan when he visited Picasso’s studio in 1957 for a Photo shoot. With him was his three month old dachshund puppy. Lump was not a happy puppy, he was living in the photographer’s flat in Rome with an Afghan Hound who bullied him. While the humans were occupied, Lump did a thorough exploration, decided that this was home, and stayed for the rest of his life, some seventeen years. Picasso celebrated his arrival by painting Lump’s portrait on a plate. What attracted me to this remarkable black and white photograph is the warmth of it,. This is true of the pictures throughout Duncan’s book “The Dog that Ate a Picasso”. Thames and Hudson ISBN 978-0-500-5195-1. (Amazon have it.)
It is a happy picture; there is a bond between them. It’s a pity you can’t see more of Picasso’s distinctive dark eyes – but it looks like bright sunshine, and he’s smiling. I hope I can achieve something approximating the original in colour.
Here is the first rough sketch. Watercolour on Fabriano paper. Just Burnt Sienna used.
I like Lump, but Picasso is looking too serious. I have made the mistake of trying to show his eyes, so they are too wide open, and the mouth is wrong.
Also proportions – I haven’t given enough space for the dog, I will have to redraw that side and make the figures altogether slightly smaller to get it right.
Still that’s what a rough sketch is for.
Gone on to light grey Pastelmat, and done the drawing, as lightly as I can with a Derwent Venetian Red pastel pencil. I have to be very strict with myself to keep it light. Too much detail, or light and shadow in the drawing and the final pastel feels I am just colouring it in like a kid’s colouring book. I think the proportions are about right now.
So why the book title “the Dog Who Ate a Picasso”? Picasso used to cut out shapes in anything that came to hand – any paper, table napkins even. He made a cut out of a rabbit for Lump to play but made the mistake of using the cardboard of an empty cake box. Perhaps there was still a trace of cake, or was it just the smell, (you know what dogs are) At any rate, Lump ate it.
About half way on I think. Doing an undercoat with Conte hard pastels, fairly light. I have added some soft pastel to Picasso’s face, and I think he is looking happier now.
The lines on his face need more definition, and I mustn’t forget the hand. If I leave it too long I can forget what colours I used on the face (It’s my age!)
Next thing to start soft pastel on is the dog’s face. I am hopeful I am not going to spoil the picture which is going fairly well so far.
I have done as much as I dare without risking spoiling the picture completely. Maybe one day I will stop being so afraid. I hope I have at least managed to achieve some of the warmth of the original picture.