System Requirements: IBM‐PC or compatible with Windows 95 (16 MB RAM) or Windows 3.1 (8 MB RAM), 16‐bit sound card, double speed CD‐ROM drive, Windows‐compatible mouse; Mac System 7.1 or later, 5 MB RAM, 13” screen, 256 colors.
[Reviewer used the disc on a Windows 95 and Mac platform].
“Picasso, the Man, his Works, the Legend” provides an informative encounter with one of the most influential artists of the 20th century within an extremely friendly user interface. The disc contains over 600 pictures, three video clips, numerous audio tracks, time lines, maps, and commentary. Most importantly, however, these individual items are meaningfully organized within an easily accessible resource.
Users have three primary modes for viewing these works; a notebook that provides a chronological arrangement of Picasso’s works by creative epoch; a thematic arrangement that organizes many of his works within eight broad categories; and an Index that links a chronological arrangement of thumbnails to an enlargement of the image and analytical tools. An Overview automatically leads one through several levels of the CD and provides a quick example of the breadth and depth of information available on this CD.
The CD is extremely user friendly. The program starts automatically when the disc is inserted; and a diagnosis routine checks for compatibilities and necessary extensions before the program begins. The disc contains the version of Quicktime needed by this CD in both Windows and Mac format; and installation is uncomplicated. A nineteen page booklet is included; but only eight pages are used to explain how one navigates through the resource. The reviewer was able to access most of the product without referring to these instructions, as the interface is clean, intuitive, and consistent. Technical support is both available and helpful.
The program opens in the Notebook mode, a gallery‐like panorama which exhibits 17 of Picasso’s works. Moving the cursor over the artwork reveals the era and time‐frame associated with each representative work. Clicking on the artwork moves one to a series of screens containing information and additional works relevant to each era. A thumbnail of the key work for that era is consistently present in the upper right corner of each. As the cursor moves over the screen, it changes to an eye to indicate a link to the image, which can be enlarged and viewed individually with a minimum of three analytic tools [discussed below]. The cursor turns into a hand when it is linked to related material such as additional information about the genre, time, critical reaction, or technique discussed in the main sequence.
The Thematic menu explores many of Picasso’s works within eight categories: his Studio, Ceramics, Portraits, Self‐Portraits, Sculpture, Engraving, the Corride, and Performing Arts. Each theme is represented on this menu with a representative emblem. Clicking on the emblem links one to a sequence of screens discussing that theme. One moves through this sequence by clicking on forward and backward arrows,
The Index permits one to scan a chronological arrangement of thumbnail images of 96 major works, and, in a second index, 376 other works by Picasso. Moving the cursor over a thumbnail reveals the title, medium, size, and museum where the work is currently housed. Clicking on a major work leads one to the full image of that work, a brief analytical discussion, and a link to further analysis of the work.
Three analytical tools are consistently present: a scale, which illustrates the size of the art work relative to a picture of Picasso holding a palm leaf; an enlarged image; and a brief discussion of techniques and important issues regarding that work. Additional tools are available for selected works, and include discussions of technique, composition, and comparisons of the chosen work with others created by Picasso and his contemporaries. Minor works receive less attention. An alphabetical index of works is also provided. Several enhancements could further strengthen an already outstanding resource. Hyperlinked text currently takes one to that page. For example, clicking on the term “expressionism” takes one to that entry within the glossary. It would be less distracting to import the information to the current screen within a popup box rather than moving between screens. The narrative accompanying many of the sequences is clear and insightful. Having a transcription of these narratives available would make it a more useful resource in an educational environment and would permit those with impaired hearing to enjoy the resource more fully. Comparing the coverage of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Guernica with Bull’s Head or Three Masked Musicians reveals an uneven coverage even among Picasso’s major works. Lastly, providing a rudimentary notebook and the ability to place individual images in a sequence, as is part of Grolier’s Interactive Encyclopedia, would provide a more powerful tool for school projects from High School through College. Nevertheless, these suggestions should not detract from an otherwise remarkable resource.
The creators of “Picasso, the Man, his Works, the Legend” need to be commended for gathering permission for using the breadth of works contained in this CD‐ROM from so many museums in a time of increasingly restrictive copyright interpretation. The organization and graphic design illustrate a sensitivity and insight to Picasso’s works that add significantly to this resource; and the informative commentary provides an exemplary resource for understanding his works. Picasso’s eldest son found this work “ offers a completely new and highly original view of my father’s work.” As a result of using this resource, the reviewer needs to add “ in an intuitively arranged, easy to use CD‐ROM.”
