Three Bathers by the Shore

Pablo Picasso

1920 · Graphite on paper · Modern and Contemporary Art

After the end of World War I, Picasso discovered a new subject, bathers at the seashore. He and his wife, Olga, began to frequent French resorts, where it had become fashionable for beachgoers to enjoy the sun rather than hide from it. This provided an opportunity for Picasso to marry his observations of daily life with an interest in classical antiquity he had been nurturing since his 1917 trip to Italy. These classical goddesses seem to be looking at a very modern airplane just beyond the picture plane.

Artist

Pablo Picasso

Date

1920

Medium

Graphite on paper

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Bequest of Scofield Thayer, 1982