According to a Swiss study, nine-month-old infants invariably favor Picasso over Monet. Although they dont even know the difference between cubism and an ice cube, they drool their approval for Picasso. Why the curious affinity?
Monet paints lyrical landscapes that are an aesthetic pleasure to behold. A tree is a tree. End of painting. Picassos abstracts distort the obvious. A tree is no longer a tree. It is whatever you want it to be.
Adults find comfort in the recognizable and expected image. But babies inhabit an undefined world of constant creativity. Apparently Picasso is right up their alley.
Next time, try looking at a Picasso like a nine-month-old, without blinders or borders like a wide-eyed infant. You might not become a fan. Then again . . .
Copyright © 2011 by the Intermountain Jewish News
