Walking side by side, a clown and a harlequin appear as comical characters in this colorful work. The clown to the left dons a sombrero-like hat and loose, striped garment. He is not immediately recognizable as a clown, for he does not carry props or wear makeup. However, his slightly oversize hands and feet contribute to his jocular persona. The clown's large companion, the harlequin, walks slightly ahead, gazing back at the clown as if engaged in conversation. He wears a trademark red and yellow diamond patterned suit and black mask but also dons a black cape, as if hiding himself from the outside world. Picasso's use of vibrant reds, blues, greens, and yellows and erratic, jagged lines add a sense of liveliness and motion to the piece. The two figures, however, do not appear extremely animated, for they do not smile or gesture wildly as one might expect from a clown and a harlequin. Their faces remain stoic, as if they are caught up in a somewhat serious moment after their humorous performances, exemplifying the human side to these usually buffoon-like characters.

Created in 1971, this work is hand signed by Pablo Picasso (Malaga, 1881 - Mougins, 1973) in pencil in the lower right margin and numbered from the edition of 100 in pencil in the lower left margin. This work was printed by Henri Deschamps.

Documented and Illustrated in:
1. Czwiklitzer, Christoph. Pablo Picasso Plakate 1923-1973. Germany 1981. Illustrated as catalogue no. 437.

About the Framing:
Museum-grade conservation framed in a complementary moulding with silk mats and optical grade Plexiglas.