Young Acrobat

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

This melancholy figure is likely part of a troupe of saltimbanques, traveling performers who held shows at fairs and other makeshift venues. In visual art, saltimbanques often appear as a metaphor for artistic struggle. When he was relatively new to Paris, and trying to make his name, Picasso produced many works on this theme. The color in these pieces is typically subdued, although the watercolor has also faded here.

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