"Picasso/Tondo" #1/5 — Framed Collage, Herbert Simon 2008

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Framed collage titled "Picasso/Tondo" #1/5, by Herbert Simon. Dates to 2008. Signed in the lower middle. Frame measures 26.5"H x … Read more Framed collage titled "Picasso/Tondo" #1/5, by Herbert Simon. Dates to 2008. Signed in the lower middle. Frame measures 26.5"H x 26.5"W. A round-format, limited-edition piece from Simon's personal collection, referencing the artist's engagement with Picasso's visual language.

This spectacular framed photocollage titled "Picasso/Tondo" was created by Herbert Simon in 2008. Marked as number 1 of a limited studio edition of just 5, this circular piece is a brilliant exercise in deconstructive surrealism and visual homage. The artwork utilizes a "Tondo" layout — a classical circular composition — to assemble a kaleidoscopic spiral of geometric wedges. Simon meticulously hand-cut and arranged slices of imagery referencing iconic modernist works by Pablo Picasso, seamlessly blending segments of sky, texture, and expressive faces evoking Picasso's Blue and Rose Periods. The resulting spiral draws the viewer's eye into a tight, kinetic central vortex. The piece is directly hand-signed, dated, and numbered along the lower edge of the circular artwork in graphite: "PICASSO/TONDO 1/5 H B Simon 2008". It comes housed in its original professional gallery presentation, floating over a deep burgundy/maroon matte board inside a sleek, square metallic frame.

About the artist: Herbert Simon (b. 1927) is an American sculptor and printmaker who taught in the art department at Wilkes University from 1969–1992. A student of Hans Hofmann, Robert Motherwell, and Philip Guston, his work bridges the New York School and academic structuralism. His monumental public commissions are permanently installed at major regional landmarks, including the 'Facets' aluminum installation at Wilkes University, the 'Aloft' sculpture at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, and civic plazas across Pennsylvania. This piece was consigned by the artist and acquired through a local auction house.

✨ Discover more: This piece is a featured highlight from Simon's personal collection. Click our storefront profile to explore a curated selection of his 50-year career, including companion mid-century wood carvings, brutalist welded metals, and abstract expressionist framed art available for immediate purchase. See less