Still Life from the series Dix Pochoirs

Still Life from the series Dix Pochoirs by Pablo Picasso is a sophisticated and colorful example of the Spanish master’s graphic output during the period immediately following World War I. Published in 1921, the work utilizes the pochoir technique, a highly specialized form of stencil printing that allows for meticulous layering of hand-applied gouache or watercolor, resulting in a richness of color and texture often unmatched by standard lithography. This classification as a fine art print demonstrates Picasso’s sustained interest in reproducible media, offering access to his work outside the confines of unique paintings.

This specific piece is drawn from the series Dix Pochoirs (Ten Pochoirs), which captures the stylistic transition Picasso was undergoing at the time. While deeply rooted in his earlier Cubist experiments—evident in the geometric structure and flattened perspective—the composition also reflects the nascent Neoclassical tendencies that defined much of his output during the early 1920s. The still life subject matter, a constant throughout Picasso’s oeuvre, here features bold, solid forms and clear outlines, contrasting the fragmented complexity of his analytical Cubist phase. The clarity of the lines and the decisive use of color are powerfully conveyed through the precision of the pochoir medium.

Picasso, working primarily in France but retaining his identity as a Spanish artist, utilized printmaking to disseminate his rapidly evolving aesthetic ideas to a wider audience. The commitment required by the pochoir method suggests a dedication to high quality and permanence for this limited edition. This significant print, capturing a key moment in the artist's post-war trajectory, is currently held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where it remains an essential reference for the study of modern prints published 1921.