The Transparencies is a major body of work that Picabia created in a short period between c. 1928-1931. These ethereal and surreal compositions stand in contrast to the artist’s earlier explorations of Pointillism, Cubism, and perhaps most notably Dadaism. In the late teens and early ‘20s, Picabia was a dominant figure of that movement alongside his contemporaries and friends Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray. Among his most celebrated contributions to Dadaism are the “portraits méchaniques,” which applied a fascination with the machinery of the modern world to experiences and expressions of the human condition. These mechanomorphic elements and collage-like images, though on the surface appear to be quite different from his later surrealist explorations, suggest a common thread of complex structure with layers of image and meaning. Picabia would ultimately reject Dadaism, maintaining its capacity to shock and affect the viewer had diminished.

In paintings like Lunis, Picabia embraces ambiguity, opting for evocative subtlety over the satirical arresting nature of Dada. Here, the eye flutters between birds, plants, butterflies, and the tranquil gazes of three faces, which suggest references to the three graces of Greek mythology pictured in Botticelli’s Primavera. Picabia certainly could have looked to this Italian master for inspiration, but the layered references in Lunis elude easy identification. This piece is a complex and mysterious arrangement, enhanced by captivating color. It will be included in the forthcoming Picabia catalogue raisonné being prepared by the Comité Picabia.