Sleeping Peasants

"Sleeping Peasants" by Pablo Picasso, created in 1919, is a poignant drawing that encapsulates the artist's significant pivot toward Neoclassicism following the turbulent years of Cubism and the First World War. Executed using a sophisticated blend of gouache, watercolor, and pencil on paper, the work showcases a shift toward figuration marked by monumental scale and classical repose.

The composition features two figures, likely rural workers, deeply submerged in sleep. They are rendered with pronounced volume and sculptural weight, characteristics which harken back to classical antiquity and reflect Picasso’s renewed interest in Ingres and Raphael following his trip to Italy. The masterful application of media is evident in the interplay between the delicate washes of watercolor and gouache, which provide subtle color and shadow, and the sharp, defining lines of the pencil, which anchor the substantial bodies. This graphic solidity contrasts sharply with the earlier abstraction prevalent in the artist's Spanish output.

The period around 1919 saw Picasso focusing intensely on such grounded, often idealized, representations of humanity, providing a sense of stability and permanence in the post-war European environment. This piece functions as an important example of this transitional phase, demonstrating the artist’s unique capacity to move between styles while maintaining his distinct visual power. While the original drawing resides in the distinguished collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the historical significance of the piece ensures that high-quality prints and references to this important 1919 work are highly valued for scholarly research and collections globally.