" 8 ⁄ 3 41 x " 4 ⁄ 1 f Art, Modern um o use he M T Pablo Picasso.Pablo Spanish, 1881–1973. Late 1915.Late canvas, Oil on 6' 05.1 cm). 83.5 x 1 IMAGE THREE: Harlequin. (1 New York. Acquired through the Lillie through P.BlissYork. Acquired New Bequest. of © 2006 Estate Picasso/Artists Pablo Rights Society (ARS),York New " 16 ⁄ 9 3 x 16 ⁄ 15 " 2 ⁄ 1 10 x 2 ⁄ 1 . 1904. Late Water- . paper, wove on Pencil 1917. 1 of Rights Picasso/Artists Pablo Pablo Picasso.Pablo Spanish, 1881–1973. Pablo Picasso.Pablo Spanish, 1881–1973. e York. Bequest. Smith Reinhardt Louise w 2006 Estat e ESSONS MAGE ONE: color and pen and ink on paper, and pen and ink on color 14 (36.9 x 26.7 cm). of The Museum Art, Modern N © IMAGE TWO: (Contemplation) Meditation I Eyes The Artist’s (5 x 9 cm). Picasso Màlaga, Museo Spain. © 2006 ofEstate Rights Society (ARS), Picasso/Artists Pablo York.New Photo: Rafael Lobato Society (ARS),York New L of the Artist Self-Portrait LESSON ONE:

4 LESSONS INTRODUCTION Traditionally, artists have created portraits of themselves over the course of their careers. Not only a means of representing one’s physical attributes, self-portraiture can also serve to announce one’s vocation as an artist, one’s place in society, or one’s style. While Picasso’s work is intimately tied to his personal experience, he created very few direct like- nesses. However, he did symbolically portray himself in numerous guises, including harlequins and Minotaurs, that indicate how he perceived his role as an artist and its relationship to society. This lesson explores some of Picasso’s direct self-portraits and symbolic, or disguised, self-portraits.

LESSON OBJECTIVES 5 • Students will be introduced to the genre and elements of self-portraiture. L E S S • Students will consider Picasso’s use of this genre to convey particular ideas about his role as O N an artist and the role of an artist in society. S

INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION • Begin the discussion by asking your students to define “portrait” and “self-portrait.” Have they ever had a portrait taken? Have they ever created a self-portrait? Ask your students to think about the choices they can make in how they are represented in a portrait and how they are represented in a self-portrait. Ask them which genre they think might reveal most about them.

• Show your students The Artist’s Eyes. Ask them to consider how Picasso made this drawing. What can they discern about his working method? Point out that he used many lines to depict his eyes, his eyebrows, and the bridge of his nose. In some areas it appears that he erased his work and shifted lines while attempting to represent his eyes as reflected in a mirror. Picasso chose to focus on his eyes in this image. Ask your students what they can discern about him as a person from his eyes.

• Direct your students to make a self-portrait in a similar manner. Tell them that they may choose to focus on a part of their face that is expressive. Give each student a small mirror and a pencil and paper to create their self-portrait. Ask them to create their likeness based on what they see in the mirror.

• When they are finished with their drawings, ask your students to share their experience with the class.

IMAGE-BASED DISCUSSION • Give your students a few minutes to look at Meditation (Contemplation). Ask them what they think is going on in this drawing. Ask them to describe the characters, setting, and mood. Ask them to imagine a story that includes these characters.

Meditation (Contemplation) was created in late 1904, when Picasso was twenty-three years old and had recently settled in after a period of moving back and forth between and Spain. He had also recently embarked on a love affair with Fernande Olivier.At this time, Picasso painted almost exclusively at night, while Olivier slept. His own upright conscious meditation on his lover contrasts with her slumbering dream state. The 3 4 shape with as he contem- , self- two e . S, William Rubin, ed. ectangular zone profile The r . epresent himself as a epresent black paddlelik The Artist’s Eyes A resentation ofresentation the artist. Picasso . to p e and what it might mean for an without mentioning the title of the olic r mb Harlequin is a sy opped onto a black surface . S. William Rubin, ed.York: of (New The Museum Art, Modern 1980), 179. lequin , which delineates his legs and torso. Picasso and Portraiture: Representation and Transformation and Representation Picasso and Portraiture: ar H Meditation (Contemplation) Picasso, f the harlequin had the capacity to become invisible,the harlequin had the capacity become to part any to travel to , Pablo Picasso:A Retrospective Pablo ness o Eva becomes more and more ill day. each and more more becomes the hospital and spend most Eva to I go e l. l ed paper cutouts have been dr ostume c is he Ask them why they think he chose the harlequin, e lif y single eye and grinning mouth makes up the head that peers out of the harlequin’s trade- out of the harlequin’s up the head that peers single eye and grinning mouth makes erned ortraits by Picasso.ortraits himself in each represented upon how Picasso reflect Ask them to mage. they think he made. Ask them what choices hile not a lik to the right, with white brushstrokes, only partially covered is suggestive of a palette, uniting and artist. p i a mark diamond-patterned costume Ask them to describe how they think Picasso went about making this painting. Students should consider the shapes, and brushwork that he used. colors as if It might look at first multicolor Ask your students to consider why Picasso might have chosen to r Ask your students to consider why Picasso Ask your students to identify the human form in this image Ask your students to identify the human clown. himself as a clown. artist to portray Give your students a few minutes to look at Give your students a few minutes to look Ask your students to compare compare Ask your students to work. they see. Ask them to describe what Ask them what they think the painting represents. of [subway]. the time in the Métro . . . However, of a picture made I have that, a Harlequin of way my to that of thinking and to others, many done. ever is the best thing I have M Pablo Picasso,Pablo in quoted See Kirk Varnedoe,“Picasso’s Self-Portraits,”in Varnedoe,“Picasso’s See Kirk • of when many in 1915, in Paris was painted World This work fighting friends in were Picasso’s I.War a Spanish citizen, As serve. to Picasso was not required girlfriend His at the time, Eva Gouel, was dying of tuberculosis. friend, to a letter In patron,Picasso wrote: and writer Gertrude Stein, • may be said to inhabit this painting without reference to his actual physical appearance. his actual physical to this painting inhabit without be reference said to may of the world, forms—gifts other on take and to the god Mercury. upon him by bestowed a As theatrical character, a clown, the harlequin is usually and parodying the more making jokes serious characters. • W plates Olivier.plates Olivier lies in bed, head. with her arm raised one above head, Her which rests a pillow,on Picasso. is turned toward • theater, Renaissance Italian mythology as well as from Roman from harlequin is a character dell'arte.known as commedia in a and multicolored, presented diamond- Traditionally patt • in draftsmanship (in looking at and recording interest the artist’s drawing the reveals While his appearance), Olivier while Picasso watched created was most likely watercolor the fluid his memory from ofsleep or moment. the the drawing, In at a table, Picasso is seated legs crossed, his knee, on elbow hand. his on resting chin his head is in His Artists’ self-portraits set in their studio, often are of items and include their profession— brushes, palette, easel—that what the artist does, communicate help to the seriousness of the trade,artist’s looks like. work and what the artist’s highlight not to chose Picasso his Here it: ratherskill a that is essential to but profession of that observation. and intense prolonged 4. 3. (New York: of(New The Museum Art, Modern 1996), 111.

6 LESSONS 7 LESSONS , considering . to Direct them Harlequin alter ego alter specific mood for this work? specific mood Ask your students to respond to Picasso’s statement in relation to statement in relation to Picasso’s to respond Ask your students not only the subject of the painting but also the manner in which it was executed. in which it was but also the manner subject of the painting not only the Ask of this painting. to consider the mood your students use color to create How did Picasso a CTIVITY A of the character Picasso selected of as a way Harlequin of side another communicating him- self, or he felt rather embodies but how a likeness that is not physically self—one a second imagined himself. up with their own come to students your Ask • paint a portrait or write a short autobiography about themselves as their alter ego. as their alter paint a portrait about write themselves or a short autobiography