Head of a Man
Although the eyes, nose, chin, and even the hairline of the subject are discernible, at this moment, Picasso was deconstructing the human head and figure in an attempt to see how far he could go before the subject became unrecognizable. Concurrently, he created a geometric armature that many other artists, architects, and designers would soon imitate in their efforts to create a new stylistic alternative to Art Nouveau, the curvilinear style pervasive in Europe at the time.
Artwork Details
- Title: Head of a Man
- Artist: Pablo Picasso (Spanish, Malaga 1881–1973 Mougins, France)
- Date: 1912
- Medium: Charcoal on paper
- Dimensions: 24 1/2 x 19 in. (62.2 x 48.3 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Alfred Stieglitz Collection, 1949
- Object Number: 49.70.29
- Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
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