Lot Essay
Pierre Daix's assessment of Picasso's early watercolours in his introduction to Picasso The Blue and Rose periods. A catalogue raisonné 1900-1906 is a perfect description of the virtuosity of the draughtsmanship of Harlequin à Cheval: 'Picasso's genius lies in his subtle legerdemain with technique. Some of his most beautiful and moving works are the watercolours; they are made of nothing, of an almost imperceptible film of colour just sufficient to give presence and relief to the figures. Their postures are barely indicated by the line, precisely controlled even in the deformations, suggesting the modeling without breaking the surface of the canvas or paper. Highlights of India ink suffice to note the stresses where they are needed. Even today we are astonished by such virtuosity'. (Op. cit., p. 73)
Such is the harlequin's balance and posture that the slightest indication of reins and the horse's back behind the young boy convince one that the horse is no less there than in the related Harlequin à Cheval (Daix & Boudaille XII. 24) in the Paul Mellon collection where the whole animal is described. Indeed such is the similarity of the harlequin's postures that there seems little doubt that this watercolour was executed as a study for the oil. In comparing the two works it is interesting to note how much Picasso has thinned his oil to give the painting the same ethereal translucence that is so striking in the watercolour.
Another work which one must presume to be a study for the same oil and therefore a sister piece to the current watercolour is in the collection of Alex Maguy, Paris. Entitled Harlequin à Cheval (Daix & Boudaille XII. 24) the work is also executed in pen and ink and watercolour on a sheet only fractionally larger than the present piece. Like the oil the horse is fully drawn and is also set in a landscape.
Throughout his life Picasso was drawn to public performers whether dancers, actors or street acrobats. Fernande Olivier, his girlfriend of the early years, recalled that between 1904 and 1905 Picasso's passion for the circus was such that he 'would stay there all evening... talking to the clowns... he admired them and had real sympathy for them'. Picasso later admitted that during this period he was visiting the circus as many as 'three or four nights in one week'. Indeed Picasso identified himself with the harlequin, painting a portrait of himself dressed as the clown in both Au Lapin Agile (Daix & Boudaille XII.23) and the Famille de Saltimbanques (Daix & Boudaille XII.35) of 1905. Close friends such as Guillaume Apollinaire and Max Jacob also appear as various circus characters in works of the period.
Unlike many of Picasso's other circus performers the harlequin in this work is neither pathetic nor grotesque, rather he belongs to Pierre Daix's 'elegant adolescents, rich in their dreamy poetry and in the seductivness of their age... Their ages vary; some are still children; in others the first sign of manhood can be seen. All of them have a characteristic disdainful or disillusioned pout; they gaze far into the distance.' (Op. cit., p. 82.)
With the kind assistance of both Pierre Daix and the Wildenstein Institute we have been able to trace that the present work was one of twenty-six watercolours which were offered for sale in the early 50s. A fascinating discovery has been that Picasso saw the originals and was instrumental in recommending Wildenstein to purchase them.
Such is the harlequin's balance and posture that the slightest indication of reins and the horse's back behind the young boy convince one that the horse is no less there than in the related Harlequin à Cheval (Daix & Boudaille XII. 24) in the Paul Mellon collection where the whole animal is described. Indeed such is the similarity of the harlequin's postures that there seems little doubt that this watercolour was executed as a study for the oil. In comparing the two works it is interesting to note how much Picasso has thinned his oil to give the painting the same ethereal translucence that is so striking in the watercolour.
Another work which one must presume to be a study for the same oil and therefore a sister piece to the current watercolour is in the collection of Alex Maguy, Paris. Entitled Harlequin à Cheval (Daix & Boudaille XII. 24) the work is also executed in pen and ink and watercolour on a sheet only fractionally larger than the present piece. Like the oil the horse is fully drawn and is also set in a landscape.
Throughout his life Picasso was drawn to public performers whether dancers, actors or street acrobats. Fernande Olivier, his girlfriend of the early years, recalled that between 1904 and 1905 Picasso's passion for the circus was such that he 'would stay there all evening... talking to the clowns... he admired them and had real sympathy for them'. Picasso later admitted that during this period he was visiting the circus as many as 'three or four nights in one week'. Indeed Picasso identified himself with the harlequin, painting a portrait of himself dressed as the clown in both Au Lapin Agile (Daix & Boudaille XII.23) and the Famille de Saltimbanques (Daix & Boudaille XII.35) of 1905. Close friends such as Guillaume Apollinaire and Max Jacob also appear as various circus characters in works of the period.
Unlike many of Picasso's other circus performers the harlequin in this work is neither pathetic nor grotesque, rather he belongs to Pierre Daix's 'elegant adolescents, rich in their dreamy poetry and in the seductivness of their age... Their ages vary; some are still children; in others the first sign of manhood can be seen. All of them have a characteristic disdainful or disillusioned pout; they gaze far into the distance.' (Op. cit., p. 82.)
With the kind assistance of both Pierre Daix and the Wildenstein Institute we have been able to trace that the present work was one of twenty-six watercolours which were offered for sale in the early 50s. A fascinating discovery has been that Picasso saw the originals and was instrumental in recommending Wildenstein to purchase them.