Provenance
Josef Stransky (1872–1936), New York, by 1932 [Zervos 1932]. Bequeathed by Mrs. Janis H. Palmer (1917–1984), Sarasota, Fla., to the Art Institute, 1985.
Accession Number
104306
Medium
Pen and brown ink and colored crayons on tan wove paper
Dimensions
36.8 × 23.7 cm (14 1/2 × 9 3/8 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Credit Line
Bequest of Mrs. Gordon Palmer
Background & Context
Background Story
Pablo Picasso's Beggar with Crutch (1904) is a pen and brown ink and colored crayons drawing on tan wove paper from his Blue Period. This early work shows a beggar with a crutch, the subject typical of Picasso's Blue Period focus on the marginalized and suffering. The pen and ink technique is expressive, the colored crayons adding touches of color to the predominantly monochromatic composition.
Cultural Impact
Picasso's Blue Period established his reputation as a serious artist concerned with the human condition.
Why It Matters
This Blue Period drawing of a beggar shows Picasso's early engagement with themes of poverty and suffering.
