Set design for the ballet Le Tricorne

Set design for the ballet Le Tricorne, executed by Pablo Picasso in 1920, exemplifies the fruitful intersection between modern Spanish art and early 20th-century European theatrical production. This specific piece is a sophisticated print created through collotype and pochoir techniques, classifying it as an Illustrated Book. It belongs to a portfolio containing thirty-two collotypes, intended to document the vibrant stage and costume designs Picasso developed for the original 1919 London production of the ballet. This documentation captures the height of Picasso’s involvement with Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, a collaboration that marked a significant phase in the artist’s development toward the spare, rigorous Neoclassicism that defined much of his output during the 1920s.

The technical medium of collotype ensures a high degree of precision in reproducing the original stage sketches, capturing the subtle tonal variation of the drawing. This fidelity is enhanced by the use of pochoir, a stencil-based technique that allowed for the subsequent hand-application of distinct, vibrant color fields necessary for depicting theatrical scenery. This hybrid technique was commonly employed for high-quality, limited-edition art prints during the 1920 period. Although the original stage design for Le Tricorne required massive scale, the print translation effectively conveys the architectural elements and bold, simplified geometry that characterize Picasso’s approach to stagecraft. The work functions both as a permanent record of performance history and as an independent piece of graphic art, offering valuable insight into the application of modern artistic principles to functional design.

As a key work of the 1920s, this print demonstrates Picasso’s ability to adapt his evolving style to the demands of narrative and spectacle. It reflects his foundational heritage as a Spanish artist while demonstrating his international influence in the Parisian art world. This piece remains a critical example of his graphic output and illustrated books. The work is preserved in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where it provides researchers and the public access to one of the most celebrated set designs of the era. High-quality prints derived from this design often enter the public domain, ensuring the widespread study of Picasso's essential contributions to 20th-century graphic and performance art.