“Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973) was trained as a painter but not as a sculptor; from the start, this facilitated a natural disregard for tradition in his sculptural work. Although Picasso’s sculpture is a relatively unfamiliar aspect of his career, it is one that has been profoundly influential throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. It is characterized primarily by the sheer pleasure of invention and experimentation. Over the course of six decades, Picasso redefined the terms of sculpture again and again, setting himself apart not only from what his colleagues were doing but also from what he himself had previously done. Whether portraying humans, animals, or objects, he invested his sculptures with a powerful charisma that belies their inanimate status. Relative to painting, sculpture occupied a deeply personal place in the artist’s work. During his lifetime, Picasso kept most of his sculptures, living among them as if they were family members.” — The Museum of Modern Art

Glass of Absinthe. Paris, spring 1914. Painted bronze with absinthe spoon. 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 3 3/8″ (21.6 x 16.4 x 8.5 cm), diameter at base 2 1/2″ (6.4 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Louise Reinhardt Smith © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Guitar. Paris, 1924. Painted sheet metal, painted tin box, and iron wire. 43 11/16 × 25 × 10 1/2 in. (111 × 63.5 × 26.6 cm). Musée national Picasso–Paris © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Woman in the Garden. Paris, spring 1929–30. Welded and painted iron. 6 ft. 9 1/8 in. × 46 1/16 in. × 33 7/16 in. (206 × 117 × 85 cm). Musée national Picasso–Paris © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Head of a Warrior. Boisgeloup, 1933. Plaster, metal, and wood. 47 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 27″ (120.7 x 24.9 x 68.8 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Jacqueline Picasso in honor of the Museum’s continuous commitment to Pablo Picasso’s art. © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Vase: Woman. Vallauris, [1948]. White earthenware, painted with slips. 18 11/16 x 6 1/2 x 4 5/16 in. (47.5 x 16.5 x 11 cm). Musée national Picasso–Paris © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

She-Goat. Vallauris, 1950 (cast 1952). Bronze. 46 3/8 x 56 3/8 x 28 1/8″ (117.7 x 143.1 x 71.4 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Mrs. Simon Guggenheim Fund © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Baboon and Young. Vallauris, October 1951 (cast 1955). Bronze. 21 x 13 1/4 x 20 3/4″ (53.3 x 33.3 x 52.7 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Mrs. Simon Guggenheim Fund © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Flowery Watering Can. Paris, 1951–52. Plaster with watering can, metal parts, nails, and wood. 33 11/16 × 16 9/16 × 14 15/16 in. (85.5 × 42 × 38 cm). Musée national Picasso–Paris © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Bull. Cannes, c. 1958. Plywood, tree branch, nails, and screws. 46 1/8 x 56 3/4 x 4 1/8″ (117.2 x 144.1 x 10.5 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Jacqueline Picasso in honor of the Museum’s continuous commitment to Pablo Picasso’s art © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Chair. Cannes, 1961. Painted sheet metal. 45 1/2 × 45 1/16 × 35 1/16 in. (115.5 × 114.5 × 89 cm). Musée national Picasso–Paris © 2015 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Images courtesy The Museum of Modern Art. Installation photo of The Bathers by Corrado Serra for Arts Summary.
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