The Mystery of Picasso

"A work by Picasso created before our very eyes! That is a miracle that, if need be, would justify the greatness of cinema."—François Truffaut

Clouzot’s dreamlike documentary The Mystery of Picasso captures the great master at work, providing a revealing and thrilling look at the metamorphosis of a painting. Clouzot not only films Picasso in the act of drawing and painting, but through clever editing and the use of transparent surfaces, makes it seem as if the works themselves evolve layer by layer. The finished pieces were destroyed at the end of the shoot, making the film the sole record of these ephemeral works. Figurative masterworks by Picasso are featured in our fall exhibition Transfigurations: Modern Masters from the Wexner Family Collection. (78 mins., 35mm)