1969 TИte dhomme 6 Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1962-1973

The drawing presents a frontal portrait of a man rendered in a highly expressive and fragmented style. The artist employed colored pencils, resulting in a vibrant yet agitated visual field. Here we see a face constructed from angular lines and blocks of color rather than smooth contours or realistic shading.
The subject’s eyes are large and intensely blue, dominating the composition with their direct gaze. They convey a sense of vulnerability and perhaps even distress. The eyebrows are sharply defined, contributing to an overall impression of heightened emotion. A vertical band of orange bisects the face, contrasting with areas rendered in green, blue, and yellow. This division doesnt appear as a natural feature but rather as a deliberate disruption of the subject’s identity or perception.
The beard is depicted with dense, parallel lines of green and blue, creating a textural effect that contrasts with the flatter planes of color used for the forehead and cheeks. The hair surrounding the head is similarly rendered in agitated strokes, suggesting disarray or turmoil.
A date – 22.8.69 – appears at the lower left corner, providing a specific temporal anchor to the work. This inscription suggests a moment of personal significance or perhaps a reflection on a particular time period. The lines below the date appear almost like hastily sketched architectural elements, further contributing to the sense of immediacy and spontaneity.
The subtexts within this drawing seem to revolve around themes of psychological fragmentation and emotional intensity. The distorted features and jarring color combinations suggest an exploration of inner states rather than a straightforward representation of physical appearance. It’s possible that the work reflects anxieties or uncertainties prevalent during the late 1960s, a period marked by social upheaval and political unrest. The portrait could be interpreted as a self-portrait, revealing the artists own struggles with identity or perception, or it might represent a broader commentary on the human condition in a time of profound change. Ultimately, the drawing’s power lies in its ability to evoke a visceral response through its raw energy and expressive distortion.