"Picasso the Stranger" in Rome 2025

John and I have enjoyed many Picasso exhibitions over the years. Picasso lo Straniero (the Stranger) at Palazzo Cipolla in Rome this spring was one of the most delightful.

The 18 year old Picasso painted this Group of Catalans in Montmartre in 1900.

Picasso was 15 when he painted this Pond in El Retiro.

Lovely and quiet: Pomegranate, glass and pipe, 1912.

Picasso did the costumes for Satie's ballet Parade in 1917. The exhibition showed a video of this horse costume in action. It was amazingly expressive. Every turn of the head registered a new emotion.

One of Picasso's masterful portraits: Andre Level, 1918. 

Another astonishing line drawing: Artist's studio in Rue Boetie, 1920. Masterful.

John is a big fan of Picasso's paintings of this period: Woman throwing a stone, 1931. So mysterious and fun.

Even when he doodles, Picasso can't be beat. Nude and studies of heads, 1931.

The Farmer, 1938, with admirers.

Boat of the Nereids and a wounded Faun, 1937

Magical study toward Blind Minotaur led through the night by a little girl with a pigeon, 1934.

The Green-Gallant, 1943. Do you know the parkette at the west end of the Île de la Cité. The wall and statue in the distance belong to the Pont Neuf.

Study for "The Man with the Sheep," 1943. Something scary about this one.

Vase with Dancing Girls, 1950. I want it!

Faun's Head, 1955. Picasso was a bit of a faun, eh?

The Bathers; The young Man, The Diver, The Fountain Man, 1956. Three of Picasso's wildly inventive sculptures. And so to lunch!

Roman Knockers 2024

 The Romans liked their architecture big and their palaces contained courtyards

with doors large enough to allow a horse and rider

or a coach to enter.

The doors often sported enormous door knockers.

With time the knockers became 

more decorative.

Animals appeared

with the knocker handles in their mouths.

Human faces appeared

and human hands.

I like this reference to Egypt.

John and I are partial to this popular wild man motif.

We also love these fantasy animals

especially these frightening creatues biting the bar.

This wild man seems a bit tipsy.

These erotic nymphs swirling beneath a Baroque shell make me want to knock on the door.

The Wabi-Sabis in Rome 2024

In Rome a few years ago Bill and I noticed this art installation made out of Scrabble letters

We got Italia, Bacio and Amore, but I wrote to the artists about Licita. They said, "The word is actually Felicità [happiness], looks like the F and E are missing."

Last year we were in Rome again and found this message in the maze of streets west of Campo dei Fiori. One of the tiles contained the artist's name: "words by wabisabi".

We also found Love, Free, Help, Yourself in a side street off Via Coronari.

Imagine our delight when we discovered the artists themselves installing a new piece on a wall by the door of the reliable Da Tonino,

a restaurant on Via Governo Vechio, near Piazza Navona. 

Romantica, Amore, Bella Vita, Pasta. Yes!

The artists introduced themselves as Mrs Wabi and Mr Sabi. Do you know the term wabi-sabi? OED: "a Japanese aesthetic...characterized by finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, or simplicity."

The piece was commissioned by Francesa and Roni, who together run Da Tonino. Clever them! 

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Mr Wabi and Mrs Sabi make their home in Paris. Find more of their work on Instagram.