The Acrobats (Les Saltimbanques) from the Saltimbanques series

The Acrobats (Les Saltimbanques) from the Saltimbanques series is an important drypoint print created by Pablo Picasso in 1905. While executed early in the artist’s career, the piece was formally published later, in 1913. This work exemplifies the aesthetic shift known as Picasso's Rose Period (1904-1906), marking a move away from the somber palettes and themes of the preceding Blue Period toward warmer hues and a focus on theatrical figures. The subject matter of traveling circus performers, or saltimbanques, became central to the Spanish artist’s iconography during these pivotal years, symbolizing community, transience, and the inherent loneliness often projected onto the artistic life.

This piece is classified as a print, specifically utilizing the drypoint technique. Drypoint is an intaglio process where the artist scratches directly into the copper plate using a sharp point, raising a fine burr of metal along the line. When inked, this burr retains a small amount of ink, creating the distinctive rich, velvety quality of the line. The composition features a solitary figure, likely a harlequin or acrobat, captured in a moment of quiet repose. Picasso uses economy of line to emphasize the mood and structure of the figure, demonstrating his developing skill in graphic arts concurrent with his work in painting.

As a foundational example of early 20th-century figurative modernism, the print provides insight into the formative ideas that would soon lead Picasso toward geometric exploration and the development of Cubism. The enduring quality of this drypoint print solidifies the importance of the Saltimbanques series within the artist’s body of work. This particular impression of The Acrobats is a highly valued component of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York.