Delightfully original, this book establishes Cubism's intrinsic connection to the traditional art of pictorial illusion The age-old artistic tradition of illusionistic realism known as trompe l'oeil ("deceive the eye") beguiles us with visual tricks and confounds our perception of reality and fiction. Presenting a radically new take on Cubism, this book shows how Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Juan Gris parodied classic trompe l'oeil motifs and devices while inventing playful, original ways of challenging the viewer's perception. Insightful, handsomely illustrated essays explore connections between the Cubists and the trompe l'oeil artists of earlier centuries with whom they engaged in creative one-upmanship. Essays discuss the previously unstudied trompe l'oeil iconography within Cubist still lifes; the history of the trompe l'oeil genre and its changing status over the centuries; the materials and processes used in Gris's collages; Braque's grounding in trompe l'oeil interior decoration techniques; and more. Over one hundred illustrated works juxtapose Cubist paintings, drawings, and collages with related compositions by the old masters. This handsome volume, which reveals the surprising origins of some of Cubism's most recognized motifs, is essential reading for anyone interested in the development of modern art.

Picasso began to spend his summer holidays in Antibes Juan-les-Pins in 1920, returning most summers to the Cote d'Azur until the outbreak of war. During those years, he produced paintings and drawings of the villas where he stayed with his family, as well as of bathers on the beach, and many studies for paintings that were ultimately realized in his studio back in Paris. He returned again after the war and showed his affinity for the region in compositions that reflect its classical and mythological past. M. Pablo's Holidays accompanies an exhibition of the same name at the Musee Picasso in Antibes, and is composed of seven essays by authoritative writers on the artist. The essays are enhanced by six thematic sections that present the exhibited works. Distributed for Editions Hazan, Paris Exhibition Schedule: Musee Picasso, Antibes (09/28/18-01/15/19)