The artwork “Portrait of Jaime Sabartes” was created by Pablo Picasso in 1901 and is an exquisite example of Post-Impressionism. Executed in oil on canvas, the painting has dimensions of 46 x 38 cm. This portrait is part of the collection at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. The focus of the painting is a representation of Jaime Sabartes, whom Picasso immortalized through his distinctive artistic lens.
This artwork features a figure rendered in muted tones, predominantly set against a background of deep blue. The subject possesses rounded facial features, with accents provided by the usage of white to delineate the contours of the face, the glasses, and the facial hair. The facial expression is notably calm and serene, lending an approachable aspect to the subject. Picasso’s brushstrokes are distinct and confident, contributing to a sense of depth and character that make the portrait resonate with an intimate familiarity. While the technique and color palette may allude to Picasso’s famed Blue Period, the work still adheres to the representational style characteristic of Post-Impressionism, a movement that sought to imbue paintings with emotion and symbolical content beyond the mere depiction of reality.
