In the Modern Art Class that I am taking, we were discussing Cubism. The instructor projected an image of Braque’s The Portuguese as an example
of analytical cubism. He explained how the objects in the picture have been broken into pieces and then
re-assembled so you can see them from multiple angles at the same time. He
asked if anyone could recognize any objects in the painting. The name of the painting was The Portuguese and the Portuguese were at the vanguard of overseas exploration
sailing to Newfoundland before Columbus came to America. A few years later, there were exploations to Brazil and around Africa to reach India. I instantly
saw a caravel – the ship used by the Portuguese in the 15th and 16th centuries. I tried to explain where the sailing ship was.
The instructor couldn’t see it. Nobody else in the lecture
hall could see it. It was suppose to be some musical instrument that Picasso in
a similar painting had deconstructed. My pride was wounded with another wrong answer. The caravel image kept getting more real to
me. I couldn't give it up.
A little research paid off. William Cloonan in his 1960 article in The French Review, Braque's Le Portugais and a Portuguese Nun noted the ship in the lower right corner.
