Delacroix, Picasso & Bearden

I went to the Kemper at Washington U. tonight and spent a little time on the top floor with the permanent collection. It is like spending time with old friends. A Picasso from his mid -1950s homage to Delacroix's Femme d'Alger is one of my favorites.

Here is the Delacroix, which is based, in part, on his field sketches.

Here are 2 more versions from the Picasso series.

Another piece on view is Romare Bearden's Black Venus shown here

Here is a 'spotlight' from the Kemper: http://kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu/files/spotlight2.07.pdf that talks about various influences on Bearden, including Matisse and others. Anyway, as I walked from Wash U.s Picasso to the Bearden I was struck by the woman in the background on the right. It really reminds me of how Picasso moved the black woman in Delacroix's composition to the 'rear' of the composition. Or, I'm seeing things.

detail of Black Venus 

The joys of intertextuality.