A Visit to Picasso

A Visit to Picasso

0h 21m 6.3/10

Overview

In this short 20 minute black and white Belgian documentary, the director, Paul Haesaerts, visualised Pablo Picasso’s flow of imagination when the Spanish painter drew on large glass plates in front of the camera – like a live show of a greatest artist in performing a few masterstrokes that outlines a dove, bull, flower, man or woman and whatnot. (This technique of filming his painting from the other side of the glass plates precedes The Mystery of Picasso (1956), another famous documentary film on Picasso). (via http://www.kubrickians.com/2012/07/08/visite-picasso-1949-paul-haesaert/)

Director

Paul Haesaerts

Top Billed Cast

Frank Silvera

Frank Silvera

Commentator

Gérard Philipe

Gérard Philipe

Récitant / Narrator

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso

Himself

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

1/5/2025

7/10

For the first half of this documentary, we are guided through a rather fleeting chronology of the development of Picasso's styles of artists through this "Rose" period, his "Negro" works and then "Cubism" and that's all pretty routine stuff. Then, though, we visit his seaside French home in a picturesque village where he proceeds to paint, as if directly onto the screen, and it's astonishing to watch. Random shapes, lines, squiggles and dots become plants, animals and people by the time he has finished what looks like the most rudimentary of styles of brushwork. There's a basic narration, but it isn't really necessary as we see this man at work in his shed crafting the likes of an owl or seeing his man and a sheep in effective situ amidst a run down chapel. For such a prolific artist, you could have a dozen such programmes and still but scratch the surface of his range and skills, but this is an useful and interesting start.

Similar Movies

Amazing Journeys

5.7

Amazing Journeys

1999

Statues Also Die

6.8

Statues Also Die

1953

Max Gimblett: Original Mind

0.0

Max Gimblett: Original Mind

2017

Antarctica: An Adventure of a Different Nature

6.2

Antarctica: An Adventure of a Different Nature

1991

Cecil Taylor: All The Notes

0.0

Cecil Taylor: All The Notes

2005

Where do they all go?

0.0

Where do they all go?

2015

Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag

6.5

Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag

2004

Performing Animals; or, Skipping Dogs

4.6

Performing Animals; or, Skipping Dogs

1895

Cern and the Sense of Beauty

6.2

Cern and the Sense of Beauty

2017

Dreams Are Colder Than Death

6.0

Dreams Are Colder Than Death

2014

Origins of Life

5.5

Origins of Life

2001