Self Portrait (Yo)

Self Portrait (Yo) is a pivotal painting created by Pablo Picasso in 1901. Executed in oil on cardboard mounted on wood, this piece captures the artist at the critical age of twenty, marking a significant early phase of his career. As a foundational work of modern art, the painting reflects Picasso’s Spanish heritage while he was actively navigating the cosmopolitan art scenes of Paris. The intensity visible in the subject's gaze suggests the ambition and self-awareness characteristic of this transitional year.

Picasso utilized the relatively inexpensive surface of cardboard, a choice that contributes to the brisk, almost immediate quality of the brushwork. The technique employed here demonstrates a decisive break from academic realism, foreshadowing the formal experimentation that would define the rest of his career. Although dating precisely to 1901, the aesthetic of this work precedes the famously somber palette of the artist's Blue Period, yet already demonstrates his burgeoning interest in simplified forms and psychological depth. The abbreviated title, Yo (Spanish for "I" or "Me"), emphasizes the direct, confrontational nature of this early self-assessment.

The practice of producing repeated self-portraits allowed Picasso a means of charting his aesthetic and personal evolutions across decades. This particular piece is highly valued for illustrating his technical capabilities right before his international breakthrough. It serves as a vital historical record of the artist's early development. Today, the work is a cornerstone of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Its prominence ensures that high-quality prints and references to the image are widely available, contributing to its status within the public domain discussion surrounding early 20th-century masterpieces.