Walter Whall Battiss
(1906-1982) - (title) Pablo Picasso
- (featured artist) Victoria Cullinan
- (author)
Pages: 30pp Size: 367mm Collation: 30 numbered pages with single-sheet index laid in. Inserted between p13 and p14, a single sheet Binding: Perfect binding (fragile) Language: English Inscription: Manuscript by the author Edition: Unique
Place publication: South Africa (not stated) Publisher: The author
Additional notes: Market on cover: H7001 [Probably the thesis or project number].
Text in manuscript by the author with some calligraphy.
Images, largely photostats of original drawings.
Items 20 & 21 (on pages 27 & 28) discusses the eleven progressive states of Picasso's "Bull, Paris, December 5 1945 - January 17, 1976". On state X (January 10, 1946) Battiss has annotated "Proof - given to me 1949 & autographed by Picasso". He also indicates:
"These are very rare. No numbered editions except XI. There is a numbered edition of this."
The author adds: "It is interesting to note that whereas Picasso started his bull series with a detailed realistic representation, and shed detail as he progressed, Battiss started his series with the bare essentials and adds detail or changes as he develops the figure. (page 27)"
His comments on drawings number 22 and 23 (pp29-30) are interesting in view of the vast number of drawings in his archive which were on the back (and front) of envelopes:
"These last two drawings on envelopes I [the author] include simply as evidence of his continual development of ideas and line. Old envelopes kept for ideas. By continually translating his surroundings and experiences into drawings, Walter Battiss formed the basis for the vast amount of work he produced, and drawings were also created as autonomous works of art."
There are several drawings not known elsewhere and excerpts from an illustrated letter to his wife (1942).