1971 Le peintre Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1962-1973

The drawing presents a figure engaged in the act of creation, seemingly portraying himself as an artist. The composition is dominated by bold, expressive lines rendered primarily in black ink on a cream-colored background. A wide-brimmed hat obscures much of the upper portion of the head, casting the face into shadow and emphasizing the downward gaze directed towards a palette held in the left hand.
The facial features are simplified to essential elements: large, somewhat startled eyes, a prominent nose, and a thick, stylized beard. These details contribute to an impression of intense concentration or perhaps even anxiety. The artist’s attire is suggested through broad strokes indicating a jacket with diagonal closures, further emphasizing the figures forward momentum.
The palette itself holds a limited selection of colors – pink, yellow, and blue – suggesting a deliberate restraint in the artistic process. A paintbrush is held aloft in the right hand, poised as if about to apply pigment to canvas. The brush’s trajectory creates a dynamic diagonal line that cuts across the composition, adding visual energy.
The drawings style suggests an immediacy and spontaneity; it appears less concerned with precise representation than with capturing a fleeting moment of creative labor. There is a self-reflexive quality to the work – the artist depicting himself as an artist – which hints at themes of identity, artistic process, and the gaze directed inward. The somewhat awkward posture and the slightly unsettling expression on the face could be interpreted as conveying the challenges or uncertainties inherent in the act of creation itself.