Pique I

1959

Pablo Picasso

Associated Names
Pablo Picasso

Artist, Spanish, 1881 - 1973

This is a painting of an abstract depiction of a bullfight scene. It portrays the silhouettes of a horse and a bull in confrontation using bold shapes in earthy tones dominated by brown and tan colors. The horse is outlined intricately, capturing its motion, with a rider holding a lance-like object. The abstract approach flattens the forms and uses negative space and simple geometric shapes to suggest movement and tension. The painting conveys the drama of a traditional bullfight through stark contrasts and minimalist details. A dust-like pattern is visible on the figures, adding texture and depth. The style is reminiscent of Pablo Picasso.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    linocut, proof in dark brown over tan background on thin card, the tan background from the same irregularly curved plate, but now solidly printed on thin card (with a non-Picasso design on the reverse); the card has been cut to the edges of the image, probably to correct registration problems as the overlap of the dark brown image is not shown in places [medium description by AR]

  • Credit Line

    Daryl Reich Rubenstein Memorial Fund and Robison Fund

  • Dimensions

    image: 16.2 x 22.2 cm (6 3/8 x 8 3/4 in.) (cut to image)

  • Accession Number

    2010.80.2

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Geiser/Baer, no. 1219, State i/ii

  • Copyright

    © 2012 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Frederick Mulder, London); purchased 2010 by NGA.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1968

  • Bloch, Georges. Pablo Picasso; catalogue de l'oeuvre grave et lithographie 1904-1967. Bern: Kornfeld und Klipstein, 1968: no. 0944

1986

  • Baer, Brigette. Picasso peintre-graveur. 5 vols and Addendum. Berne: Éditions Kornfeld, 1986 (vol. 3); 1988 (vol. 4); 1989 (vol. 5); 1994 (vol. 6); 1996 (vol. 7 and Addendum). See volumes 1 and 2 under Geiser/Baer 1990-1992: no 1219 I/IIb

Wikidata ID

Q76554881

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