Leonardo vs Picasso

I like the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and Pablo Picasso. They both contributed extraordinarily to art and culture. They both knew they were very good. However, Leonardo only has a little over a dozen paintings in existence. Picasso produced 1,800 paintings, not to mention 12,000 drawings, and thousands of sculptures and ceramics. Yes, many of Leonardo’s works have disappeared, and he made many beautiful drawings, but still his volume of work pales before Picasso.

Is it better to produce a few outstanding works or copious art with outstanding pieces in the mix? Maybe it is silly to compare these two artists but they are on my mind. They both had admirable accomplishments yet followed different trajectories and vastly different bodies of work.

Leonardo showed great patience, from making his own paints to moving between cities (and countries!) to find funding. Picasso made quick sketches to pay for his lunch. Leonardo performed for his patrons, Picasso for himself and his consumers. Leonardo was subtle, Picasso was in your face.

Leonardo’s skill was like Albrecht Durer (look at the fur in “Lady with an Ermine”) and his compositions and painting techniques were innovative even as he worked under many constraints. Picasso was as free as the wind and he broke rules that got in his way.

So, who do I like better? Leonardo gets my vote. He was interdisciplinary and applied his intellect, talent, and curiosity in many areas. He was not enslaved to art. While he was pompous in his dress (unlike his young competitor Michelangelo), he was more of a working-class guy trying to elbow his way upward. That is a pursuit I can identify with. Plus, he was an inventor, which is something else I can identify with.

I would rather have a few works that are excellent and demonstrate curiosity and wonder rather than just raw creative fire. Actually, I want both, but there is little raw creative fire in a void, it is fueled by the invisible insights of others. These insights rise in a crescendo of events until all the collective actions of others erupt with a heroic work and a celebrated name. We love to attribute things to individuals; however, there are no solitary geniuses.

Appreciating Leonardo’s work involves working with harmonic armatures and dissecting allegories. Picasso requires lengthy contemplation and reconstruction. I would rather have a (good) Picasso over my couch, assuming it matches my couch, but I more greatly admire Leonardo.