Francis Picabia. Catalogue Raisonné Vol IV.

This publication, the fourth volume of an important catalogue raisonné of the work of Francis Picabia (1879-1953), includes paintings and selected drawings dating from 1940 into 1952.
During the war years, while still residing in the south of France, Picabia was primarily occupied by figural subjects - multi figure allegories, female nudes, and glamorous female "portraits" - painted in bold illusionistic relief. Notorious even in his lifetime, most of these works are now known to have adapted photographic illustrations in older "girly" magazines and other popular media.
Upon his return to Paris in the post war period, Picabia renewed his earlier interests in abstract and sometimes non objective art, still often drawing upon published sources ranging from prehistoric art to Nietzsche, and pursued frequent exhibition of his distinctive, constantly mutating responses to critical currents of the day. These included a series of severely reductive, subtly effective "point" or dot paintings beginning in 1949 - three years before ill health effectively ended Picabia's half century of artistic provocation.

Cet ouvrage, le quatrième volume d'un important catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre de Francis Picabia (1879-1953), comprend des tableaux et des dessins sélectionnés datant de 1940 à 1953. Pendant les années de guerre, alors qu'il résidait encore dans le sud de la France, Picabia s'est principalement consacré à des sujets figuratifs - allégories à plusieurs figures, nus féminins et "portraits" féminins glamour - peints en relief illusionniste. Déjà célèbres de son vivant, la plupart de ces oeuvres sont aujourd'hui connues pour être des adaptations d'illustrations photographiques publiées dans d'anciens magazines féminins et autres médias populaires. De retour à Paris après la guerre, Picabia renoue avec ses intérêts antérieurs pour l'art abstrait et parfois non objectif, continuant à s'inspirer de sources publiées allant de l'art préhistorique à Nietzsche, et à organiser des expositions de ses réactions particulières, mais en constante mutation, aux courants critiques de l'époque. Celles-ci incluent, à partir de 1949, une série de tableaux "à points" très réducteurs et subtilement efficaces, trois ans avant que la maladie mette fin à son demi-siècle de provocation artistique.

This publication, the fourth volume of an important catalogue raisonné of the work of Francis Picabia (1879-1953), includes paintings and selected drawings dating from 1940 into 1952.
During the war years, while still residing in the south of France, Picabia was primarily occupied by figural subjects - multi figure allegories, female nudes, and glamorous female "portraits" - painted in bold illusionistic relief. Notorious even in his lifetime, most of these works are now known to have adapted photographic illustrations in older "girly" magazines and other popular media.
Upon his return to Paris in the post war period, Picabia renewed his earlier interests in abstract and sometimes non objective art, still often drawing upon published sources ranging from prehistoric art to Nietzsche, and pursued frequent exhibition of his distinctive, constantly mutating responses to critical currents of the day. These included a series of severely reductive, subtly effective "point" or dot paintings beginning in 1949 - three years before ill health effectively ended Picabia's half century of artistic provocation.