1971 Portrait de mousquetaire Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1962-1973

Here we see a portrait executed in what appears to be crayon or pastel on paper. The subject is a man depicted from the chest up, facing forward with a direct gaze. The composition is dominated by bold color choices and simplified forms characteristic of an expressive style.
The artist has employed a limited palette – primarily yellows, pinks/purples, blues, and black – applied in flat planes rather than blended gradations. This creates a starkness that emphasizes the contours of the face and hair. The yellow highlights on the nose and chin draw immediate attention to these features, while the contrasting purple and blue hues define the hairstyle and create a sense of volume.
The facial features are rendered with an almost childlike simplicity; the eyes are large and symmetrical, the mouth a thin line, and the mustache stylized into a triangular shape. This simplification contributes to a feeling of detachment or perhaps even caricature. The beard is similarly reduced to basic lines, further emphasizing the overall lack of naturalistic detail.
The figure’s neck appears elongated and disproportionate compared to the head, adding to the sense of distortion. A dark collar frames the face, creating a visual border that isolates the subject from any implied background.
The presence of what seems to be a signature or date in the upper right corner suggests a personal connection to the work, hinting at an intimate study rather than a formal portrait. The overall effect is one of immediacy and spontaneity – a rapid capture of character through bold color and simplified form. Theres a sense of psychological probing, as if the artist sought to convey not just a likeness but also something about the subject’s inner state or personality through this unconventional rendering.