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Composition for Bal de la Mer

Pablo Picasso1928/1928

Chrysler Museum of Art

Chrysler Museum of Art
Norfolk, United States

During the 1920s, Picasso and his wife, Olga Khokhlova, were regular guests at the elaborate themed balls hosted by Count Etienne de Beaumont at his Parisian home. The count asked guests to come in fanciful and creative costumes, and he often asked contemporary artists to contribute decorations. For an ocean-themed ball in 1928, Picasso created this composition, which blends traditional symbolism with simplified, abstract forms. Two outlined figures stand against an ocean background represented by short, parallel lines. The figure with a tiny head holds a fish and stands on trident-like feet, suggesting it may be the god Neptune. Meanwhile, the figure on the right, possibly female, bristles with sharp, shell-like projections.

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Details

  • Title: Composition for Bal de la Mer
  • Creator: Pablo Picasso
  • Creator Lifespan: 1881/1973
  • Creator Nationality: Spanish
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Mougins, France
  • Creator Birth Place: Malaga, Spain
  • Date: 1928/1928
  • Location Created: Paris, France
  • Provenance: Count Etienne de Beaumont; M. Stiebel, 1955; Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., 1956; The Chrysler Museum, 1971
  • Physical Dimensions: 114 x 84 in. (289.6 x 213.4 cm)
  • Credit Line: Count Etienne de Beaumont; M. Stiebel, 1955; Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., 1956; The Chrysler Museum, 1971
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: © Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Medium: Oil on canvas

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