Three Musicians

Pablo Picasso executed this monumental work in 1921 at Fontainebleau. Three figures, possibly representing Harlequin, Pierrot, and a monk, play their instruments in a shallow, stage-like space. The flat, interlocking shapes create a complex visual puzzle characteristic of Synthetic Cubism. Two versions exist; this one is at MoMA in New York.

The commedia dell'arte characters had appeared in Picasso's work since his Rose Period. Here they're transformed into bold, geometric forms in rich browns, blacks, and accents of blue and white. Despite the abstract treatment, the composition suggests a mysterious, theatrical atmosphere. Many scholars see the work as a culmination of Picasso's Cubist experiments.