Still Life from the series Dix Pochoirs

Still Life from the series Dix Pochoirs, created by Pablo Picasso and published in 1921, is a significant example of the Spanish master’s exploration of graphic arts during the transitional period immediately following World War I. This print belongs to a portfolio of ten images, demonstrating Picasso’s sustained commitment to composition within the still life genre.

The piece employs the pochoir technique, a highly skilled and labor-intensive stencil process popular in fine art printmaking during the early 20th century. Unlike lithography, which relies on chemical repulsion, pochoir involves creating precise, hand-cut stencils for each layer of color, which are then applied by hand using specialized brushes or rollers. This method allowed Picasso to achieve the dense, opaque colors and textured surface quality characteristic of his original gouache or watercolor studies, ensuring faithful reproduction across the limited-edition prints.

By 1921, Picasso was simultaneously engaged in Neoclassical figurative work and a more formal, geometric exploration rooted in Cubism. This particular still life composition likely adheres to the structured, flattened perspective characteristic of Synthetic Cubism, allowing the artist to meticulously arrange objects and forms into a coherent plane while experimenting with the technical demands of the pochoir medium.

The widespread publication of prints, particularly during this era, broadened access to modernist works. This work, which solidified Picasso’s reputation as a leader in Spanish modernism, is currently held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York (MoMA). Still Life from the series Dix Pochoirs serves as important documentation of the technical sophistication applied to fine art reproduction during the early 1920s.