THE PICASSO WRANGLE
SIR,—Your Art critic has given us his opinion as to the dirtiness of the Picasso paintings. Mr. Harold Nicolson has now stated his view of their ugliness. But when mere picture-lovers are repelled by these same qualities they are told they only reveal their complete ignorance of painting and reminded of the great merit of other works of the same painter. Is this relevant to the argument concerning the merit of the works now exhibited—executed, we are told, under the influence of "Andalusian rage "?
Many violent things are done under the influence of rage, but do healthy men afterwards regard with satisfaction or exhibit for the approval of others the things done in this spirit? Can anything but violence, ugliness and disorder result from its essentially destructive influence? Is it not a right impulse in the normal man to sweep up and put out of sight as soon as possible the horrid consequences of his rage?—Yours faithfully, GILBERT J. ARROW. Department of Entomology, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London, S.W. 7.
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