Published to accompany an exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of Pablo Picasso’s birth, this catalog focuses on Picasso’s painting Family of Saltimbanques in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Picasso: The Saltimbanques brings together a selection of the artist’s paintings with related prints and drawings by Picasso and others to trace the traditions of the Harlequin, Pierrot, and the jester, from their origins in the commedia dell’arte of the 17th century to their merger with the circus performers of Picasso’s day. A study section provides a technical and visual record of the multiple stages in the creation of Picasso’s painting. A separate chapter documents the history of the work, from creation to purchase to acquisition by the Gallery, and a chronology of Picasso’s life and critical reception.