Costume design for the ballet Le Tricorne

The Costume design for the ballet Le Tricorne by Pablo Picasso, created in 1920, exemplifies the artist’s seminal involvement with the Ballets Russes and the broader modernist theatrical movement. Classified as an Illustrated Book, this artwork was technically executed using collotype and pochoir from a portfolio consisting of thirty-two collotypes, thirty-one of which included the hand-coloring provided by pochoir (stencil) technique.

This work documents Picasso's contribution to Le Tricorne (The Three-Cornered Hat), the hugely successful 1919 ballet production developed in collaboration with choreographer Léonide Massine and composer Manuel de Falla. Reflecting his native heritage, the Spanish artist provided the sets, curtain, and specific costume designs, translating the bold, geometric forms of his recent Cubist experiments into highly stylized, yet functional, theatrical apparel. This 1920 period saw Picasso utilizing the aesthetic of Neoclassicism, moving away from fragmented forms toward monumental, simplified figuration, which proved highly effective for capturing the dynamic movement required on stage.

The precise layering of collotype, a high-quality photomechanical print process, with the vibrance of pochoir coloring ensured that these artistic prints retained the texture and saturation of the original designs, which were often executed in gouache. As a major Spanish figure who embraced printmaking as a means of dissemination, Picasso documented this pivotal moment of collaboration through the creation of this portfolio. This significant work, recording a piece of theatrical history, is held within the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.