1964 TИte dhomme barbu Е la cigarette II Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1962-1973

The work presents a portrait study executed in pastel on paper. Here we observe a male figure depicted from the chest upwards, his face dominating the composition. The artist has employed a vibrant and unconventional palette, eschewing naturalistic color representation for an expressive use of yellows, greens, blues, pinks, and blacks.
The facial features are rendered with a degree of distortion and fragmentation. The eyes, large and intensely focused, possess a palpable sense of anxiety or perhaps introspection. They are framed by thick, dark brows that contribute to the overall feeling of intensity. The nose is stylized into an angular form, while the mouth appears as a compressed red slash, suggesting a suppressed expression. A prominent beard, rendered in black and grey pastels, obscures part of the lower face, adding to the sense of mystery surrounding the subject’s identity and emotional state.
The application of pastel is characterized by energetic strokes and visible layering, creating a textured surface that enhances the dynamism of the portrait. The background appears minimal, allowing the figures presence to command full attention. There is an absence of depth or perspective; the figure seems flattened against the plane of the paper.
Subtly embedded within this visual language are hints of psychological complexity. The disjointed features and jarring color choices suggest a fractured inner world. The intense gaze, combined with the obscured mouth, implies a withholding of information, a sense of guardedness or perhaps even alienation. The overall effect is one of raw emotionality conveyed through an unconventional artistic approach. The inscription in the upper right corner – 23.5.64 II – provides a temporal anchor and suggests this may be a study within a series.