Mythical characters first appeared in Picasso's work in his Neoclassical period, of the late 1910s and 1920s, and also in the 1930s, under the influence of Surrealism. They could symbolize harmony and serenity or irrational thought. After World War II, when in the South of France, Picasso often depicted fauns and satyrs, as if that locale, steeped in ancient history, prompted them. He once remarked, "It is strange, in Paris I never draw fauns, centaurs, or mythical heroes . . . they always seem to live in these parts."

Gallery label from

Picasso: Variations and Themes, March 28–September 30, 2010.

Medium Etching and drypoint
Dimensions plate: 10 11/16 x 13 15/16" (27.2 x 35.4 cm); sheet: 13 x 18 5/16" (33 x 46.5 cm)
Publisher unpublished
Printer Louis Fort, Golfe-Juan, France
Edition 11 proofs
Credit Acquired through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest (by exchange)
Object number 241.1947
Department Drawings and Prints

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Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso

Spanish, 1881–1973 1251 works online

With these words, Picasso shed light on two central principles of his artistic production over nearly 80 years: his openness to a diverse range of styles, subject matters, and mediums, and his resistance to the notion that change in art necessarily corresponds to improvement or progress.

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