Picasso's 1917 Italian Journey Documented in Major Campania Exhibition
An extensive exhibition in Campania delves into Pablo Picasso's trip to Rome and Naples in 1917, during which he collaborated with the Ballets Russes. In February of that year, Picasso and Jean Cocteau made their way to Rome to create the ballet Parade, which premiered on May 19, 1917, with costume design by Fortunato Depero. They enjoyed a brief holiday in Naples from March 9 to 13, which sparked Picasso's fascination with puppet theater. In 1918, he married ballerina Olga Khokhlova, whom he had fallen for. Picasso revisited Naples with Olga and Igor Stravinsky from April 15 to 28. The exhibition features Parade's curtain, costume sketches, and artworks like Harlequin and The Acrobat, as well as theatrical and African masks.
Key facts
- Picasso traveled to Rome and Naples in February 1917 with Jean Cocteau at Sergej Diaghilev's invitation.
- They worked on the ballet Parade, which debuted on May 19, 1917, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
- Fortunato Depero assisted with costume design for Parade.
- Picasso visited Pompeii twice: March 9-13 and April 15-28, 1917.
- He married ballerina Olga Khokhlova in 1918.
- Parade's curtain includes a Vesuvius silhouette and Neapolitan nativity elements.
- The exhibition features Parade costumes, masks from Pompeii and Africa, and the 1907 painting Bust (study for Les Demoiselles d'Avignon).
- The exhibition is held in Campania, likely at the Reggia di Capodimonte and Pompeii.
Entities
Artists
- Pablo Picasso
- Jean Cocteau
- Fortunato Depero
- Léonide Massine
- Ernest Ansermet
- Olga Khokhlova
- Igor Stravinsky
- Henri Matisse
- Giovanna Procaccini
Institutions
- Ballets Russes
- Théâtre du Châtelet
- Museo di San Martino
- Teatro San Carlo
- Reggia di Capodimonte
- Musée national Picasso-Paris
- RMN-Grand Palais
- Artribune
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Naples
- Pompeii
- Paris
- France
- Campania
- Vesuvius