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Harlequin

Pablo Picasso Spanish

Not on view

Characters from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte, Harlequin in particular, make a frequent appearance in Picasso’s oeuvre, especially in his work after World War I. The sitter for this picture was the painter Jacinto Salvadó. More than a portrait or even a depiction of a theatrical motif, this work is a meditation on art-making itself. The picture was brought to varying levels of finish, as represented by the summarily rendered background and the highly realistic and finely detailed face.

Harlequin, Pablo Picasso (Spanish, Malaga 1881–1973 Mougins, France), Oil on canvas

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