Head of a Man

Pablo Picasso

1912 · Charcoal on paper · Modern and Contemporary Art

Although the eyes, nose, chin, and even the hairline of the subject are discernible, at this moment, Picasso was deconstructing the human head and figure in an attempt to see how far he could go before the subject became unrecognizable. Concurrently, he created a geometric armature that many other artists, architects, and designers would soon imitate in their efforts to create a new stylistic alternative to Art Nouveau, the curvilinear style pervasive in Europe at the time.

Artist

Pablo Picasso

Date

1912

Medium

Charcoal on paper

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Alfred Stieglitz Collection, 1949