Look. Look Again - Picasso and Degas

There is a fabulous new exhibit at the Clark Insitute in the Berkshire Hills. Run, don't walk, to take this in. It demonstrates the influence of Degas on the work of Picasso.

 If you think about it, the two artists overlapped in Paris in the early twentieth century - at a time when each was at a very different state of his career. But in that overlap of time and place, the cross-pollination process was powerful and long lasting.

This exhibit offered me some insights in how even the work of genius is informed by those around them. The topic is rich in complexity and fascinating to boot.

For more on the the topic, I found this photo essay by Art Historian Christopher Benfey to be particularly illuminating.

The curators, Richard Kendell and Elizabeth Cowling should take a bow for bringing us a new angle to appreciate these two old Masters. The exhibit will be open through the summer - make haste to get yourself there.