PARTISAN REVIEW
within Cubism,* but there are many artists in Paris today of far greater
attainments than any of these, and who are not "stuck in Cubism"
at all. Hartung, Magnelli, Deyrolle, Domela, Schneider, Lapicque,
Richard are a few of the younger generation that are doing works
of a quite different character. And Jean Arp-far from being the ex–
hausted Cubist disciple that Greenberg would have him-is realizing
impressive work in many fields, no one of which retains suggestions of
the Cubist approach.
We are now in a position to return to Greenberg's main thesis, that
in times of disaster the radical artists lose their nerve, and through
demoralization become less radical. I think that this connection between
nerve and great painting may be a bit exaggerated; all of which is
neither here nor there, as Picasso's latest works I find "nervy" to the
point of megalomania. What is now happening to Picasso's painting I
am sure would have happened under any circumstances. He has felt his
genius dissipated through so many styles, each realized separately; so he
has now reached a stage (he has reached it before) when he will join
everything together into a series of wallops. In an artist of such disparate
attainments this is a very tall order indeed. So much has been accumu–
lated that the final works lack coordination and unity of spirit; and the
constant emphasis on power often results in highly questionable taste.
Abstraction might have tightened the structure and thus made it cred–
ible, but Picasso's whole background made such a step uncongenial.
However, it is too early to count him out of the tournament. Not
infrequently an artist has lost his sense of quality and still pulled together
at the end; Corot offers a conspicuous example. I think Leger (who used
to be a little short on quality anyway when placed with the others) may
be giving us an instance at the moment; he has shown signs of finding
himself again since his return to France. Surely it is on quality that
artists get judged in the end, and not on their innovations.
I have indicated that abstraction has marked an attempt at deper–
sonalization, and opposes the excessive personality-loving currents long
inherent in Western art. It was interesting to hear Arp mention this a
few months ago: "I don't want to
be
great-there
are too many forces
throughout the world today that are
great."
This was not spoken in
modesty; it merely represents a new relation between the artist and
his work; we do not need that competition for omnipotence which the
critics are so intent upon grading, only an impulse that can achieve
*
It might be noted here that the American painters whom Greenberg occa–
sionally favors, similarly work "behind the frame."
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