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Matisse and Picasso; Picasso and Matisse. Throughout the twentieth century, this pairing has been touted as the quintessential artistic rivalry. In Matisse and Picasso, Yve-Alain Bois follows Hubert Damisch in proposing that the interaction between Picasso and Matisse should be seen as a dynamic game rather than a static conflict of artistic polarities. Bois employs the metaphor of chess, arguing that the game represents the artists’ exchange as “a competitive rivalry and a complex temporality” that can be viewed both as a linear process and a simultaneous structure. But the metaphor of a competitive sport, however complex and intellectually rich, is misleading. The two artists were engaged not just in competition (even friendly competition) but also in friendly dialogue. The two men were more than rivals: they were colleagues, critics, teachers, and occasional friends. A better model, though perhaps one with less flash, is that of a simple conversation, with all the rich variation and shifts in motivation and tone that are possible. Picasso’s Large Nude in a Red Armchair marks the extremes of the artist’s combativeness towards Matisse. The painting is a clear parody of Matisse’s earlier Odalisque with a Tambourine. The composition of the figures is strikingly similar: a woman lounges in an armchair at the center of the painting, arm raised above her head, decorative wallpaper behind her. Both paintings feature vivid color contrasts, with green wallpaper, vivid reds, glaring yellows, and rich browns. But Picasso’s painting, finished in 1929, mocks the achievements of Matisse’s earlier work. The sensuous, rich mood of Matisse’s painting has been transformed in Picasso’s work into something harsh and grotesque. The other extreme of the dialogue between the two artists can be seen in Picasso’s Woman with Yellow Hair and Matisse’s response, The Dream. The exchange begins with Picasso’s work, in 1931. The painting depicts a woman asleep on her arms, resting on a table. She is full, rich, warm, and curved, her head and arms forming a graceful arabesque. This image seems a direct attempt to master Matisse’s style and to suggest to the older artist new directions for his work. While there may well be an edge of competitiveness to the painting, a sense that Picasso was demonstrating his ability to do Matisse’s work, it remains in large part a helpful hint. Matisse, nearly a decade later, continues the conversation in a similar tone. In The Dream 30 of 1940, he proposes a revision of Picasso’s work. Again, a woman lies asleep on a table, her arm tucked beneath her head. Matisse accepts Picasso’s basic suggestions for his style: sinuous curves, volumes, and shocking uses of color to express an effect. But Matisse also modifies the earlier work significantly. Color is no longer rigidly tied to form, as bits of fuchsia seep outside the thick black line marking the outline of the table and the patch of yellow on the woman’s 35 blouse refuses to be contained by the drawn line. Matisse uses Picasso’s same palette of red, purple, white, black, and yellow to create this revision, editing out only the garish green, as if to chide Picasso for the choice. The brilliant interplay of colors in Matisse’s work is far more sophisticated and subtle than that offered by Picasso. “Thank you,” Matisse seems to be saying, “but you missed a few spots.”
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41% (03:31) correct
59% (03:16) wrong based on 34 sessions
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The primary purpose of the passage is to
(A) discuss the two best painters of an epoch (B) evaluate a theory and endorse a revision (C) compare selected works of two masters (D) show that Matisse’s work is more sophisticated (E) illustrate how Picasso taught Matisse
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The author would most likely agree with which of the following statements?
(A) Artistic rivalries are more like Olympic competitions than professional sports. (B) Artistic mastery is best demonstrated by employing multiple styles. (C) Artists must be good conversationalists. (D) Artistic rivalries can actually be reciprocally nourishing. (E) Artistic rivalries generally last for decades.
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According to the passage, which of the following describes Woman with Yellow Hair?
(A) It was parody of a work by Matisse. (B) Its colors were not rigidly tied to its form. (C) Its color palette was larger than that of The Dream. (D) It was a response to a work by Matisse. (E) It was harsh and grotesque.
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Which of the following, had it actually occurred during the artists’ lifetimes, would further support the author’s thesis?
(A) A joint exhibition of the two artists’ work (B) A radio broadcast of the two artists discussing painting (C) A movie that dramatized the competition between the two artists (D) A play that depicted the two artists playing chess (E) A painting of the two artists
Re: QOTD #14 Matisse and Picasso; Picasso and Matisse. Throughou
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13 Aug 2017, 11:48
Expert Reply
boxing506 wrote:
Regarding the forth qustion, why not the answer A?
This is a tough question and quite "abstract".
If the two artists made an exibition, this probably would not show anything but their work per se, as they were.
Instead, a radio show between the two explained their ideas in a sort of interplay and suggestions (interplay and suggestions occur throughout the entire passage) would reinforce the author point on the two artists.
Re: QOTD #14 Matisse and Picasso; Picasso and Matisse. Throughou
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07 May 2018, 05:34
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Carcass.
I am having a difficulty in comprehending the main idea of the passage. While the answer choices say that it was basically that author said there was something more than the combativeness between the two artists.There are no arguments for this. Author presented this view in second paragraph, yet, in preceding paragraphs, the author only presented their combativeness. Or perhaps im misinterpreting something. Please edifice.
Re: QOTD #14 Matisse and Picasso; Picasso and Matisse. Throughou
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08 May 2018, 15:46
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Expert Reply
Quote:
Bois employs the metaphor of chess, arguing that the game represents the artists’ exchange as “a competitive rivalry and a complex temporality” that can be viewed both as a linear process and a simultaneous structure. But the metaphor of a competitive sport, however complex and intellectually rich, is misleading.
Quote:
A better model, though perhaps one with less flash, is that of a simple conversation, with all the rich variation and shifts in motivation and tone that are possible.
Re: QOTD #14 Matisse and Picasso; Picasso and Matisse. Throughou
[#permalink]
04 Aug 2019, 11:04
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boxing506 wrote:
Regarding the forth qustion, why not the answer A?
Since the author's main point is that the artists’ relationship was akin to a "simple conversation," a radio broadcast of the artists discussing painting (answer choice B) would very much support the author’s thesis.
Answer choice A (A joint exhibition of the two artists’ work) doesn't necessarily support the author's "simple conversation" analogy.
Re: QOTD #14 Matisse and Picasso; Picasso and Matisse. Throughou
[#permalink]
04 Aug 2019, 11:07
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tseth wrote:
How is first answer as B? Cant it be C ?
Early in the passage we hear about Bois' chess metaphor. The author then suggests that the chess metaphor is misleading, and that a "better model" is that of a simple conversation. For the remainder of the passage, the author provides evidence to support this "better model". Among the answer choices, B best describes this process.
Answer choice C says: compare selected works of two masters There's a lot more than "comparing works" in the passage.