Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Picasso peeking

Picasso's "Head of a Woman" keeps an eye out near the train station. The sculpture was actually a collaboration between Picasso and Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar. The leaves are thinking of turning.
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(Untold stories: The sculpture belongs to the John Putnam collection, in memory of a Princeton student who was a fighter pilot in WWII, including over Normandy beaches on D-Day 1944, and who died just 6 weeks after D-Day in an accident in England, age 23. The sculpture collection is credited to an "anonymous donor" - in reality, it was Putnam's younger brother, Peter, a physicist who inspired great devotion and died a janitor).

14 comments:

Adele said...

Oh, this is incredible! The things you get to see on a daily basis. Lucky you!

Angel Sánchez-Marco said...

Interesante la foto y aún mas la historia que cuentas sobre “Cabeza de mujer” 
Un saludo: Angel

Mo said...

A great sculpture but an even better story.

Tanya Breese said...

oh how awful, to survive d-day and then die in an accident....we have a beautiful d-day memorial here...i've shown a few pictures of it...that picasso sure had a style all his own!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Yes indeed it's pretty hard to miss a Picasso! It's always good to read a bit about an artwork Lulu, I get so fed up when I can.t dig up any info, and it does happen..If I'd created something that was worth putting up for show, I'd want everyone to know about it haha!

Randy said...

Nice but not in my garden.

LONDONLULU said...

Adele - thanks! And it's a good reminder to count one's blessings :)

a.s.m. - thank you! So many untold stories behind the art we see.

Mo - thanks, and I love learning about these underlying tales:)

Tanya - I know, can you imagine. How lovely you've a D-Day monument in your neck of the woods, I find these memorials very touching.

PerthDailyPhoto - that happens to me a lot, the lack of online info! I know the frustration, and glad it's not just me:)

Randy - it's about 16 feet high, I think. And definitely nicer to see here than in ones own garden.

Chrissy Brand said...

Ho amazing to have a Picasso- and in an open public space too!

EG CameraGirl said...

Life sure can have interesting twists and turns: a fighter pilot who dies 6 weeks after surviving the war, and his brother a physicist who does as a janitor. Hmmmm.

LOLfromPasa said...

Wonderful that you are able to share the story behind the sculpture, Lulu. I would have loved to overhear Picasso and Nesjar discussing what form this sculpture should take. Certainly has the Picasso signature.

LOLfromPasa said...

And, it kinda matches the buildings beyond :). Have a good day!

LONDONLULU said...

Chrissy - I also love that it's not in a museum or garden, just out in the open:)

EG - isn't it crazy? I didn't know until I started investigating, it's not something tour guides bring up a lot.

LOLfromPasa - Picasso has such a distinct style, doesn't he? I would've loved to hear that conversation too. (And lol re: the buildings, I didn't realize but you're right!:)

Stefan Jansson said...

Very cool artwork

William Kendall said...

Great story behind it, though admittedly I'm not a fan of Picasso.