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In Picasso on Art a section is dedicated to Picasso’s views on those who imitated him and those that he imitated. My of his quotes show that he believed in the art of copying for himself as well as others.
“What does it mean,” says Picasso, “for a painter to paint in the manner of So-and
-So or to actually imitate someone else? What’s wrong with that? On the contrary,
it’s a good idea. You should constantly try to paint like someone else. But the
thing is, you can’t! You would like to. You try. But it turns out to be a botch…and
. . .
“Ha!” exclaimed Picasso, “do you think I paint for those people at the Rotonde?. ”
“Imitators?”
“All right! Disciples if you like. ” (Parmelin,
1965, page 43)
When reading this quote any artist would realize the importance of imitating. Copying another is not only helpful to any artist, but a necessity. He even goes as far as to call anyone who copies his work a disciple, in which case he is their master-and only he matters. A final Picasso quote:
“Why should one stick desperately to everything that has fulfilled its promise?
Would you have a man only able to repeat himself? Repetition is contrary to the
Laws of the spirit, to its flight forward! Copying others is necessary, but what a
Pity to copy oneself!”(Souchere, 1960, page 27)
This quote sums up everything there is to be said on copying another artist. ke a botch of it that you’re yourself. As stated, masters don’t even care when their heels are pissed in. Since I now have
Imitators I could care less. He has taken the work of another and made it his own. And they don’t even turn around
when you piss on their heels…” (Georges-Michel, 1954, pages 94-95)
In the beginning of this quote Picasso buys into the old saying that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
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