Seated Harlequin by Pablo Picasso

Here's one of the most recurrent figures in Pablo Picasso's work: Seated Harlequin, painted in 1923.

This little fellow is a friend of Pablo's, Joachin Salvado, a Spanish painter.

This harlequin costume belongs to Picasso. He first thought of using it to paint Jean Cocteau in 1916... a painting that never saw the light of day.

The multicolored lozenges represent the many facets of the harlequin, who goes from joy to sadness in the blink of an eye.

To accentuate this idea, the harlequin, accustomed to funny pirouettes, is sitting very still here, hands clasped and a melancholy look in his eyes.

The poor workmanship of the stitching also indicates its poverty.

Museum TV invites you to discover its programs dedicated to Pablo Picasso.