Pablo Picasso

Between 1904 and 1906, saltimbanques, or itinerant circus performers, were the primary subject for Picasso, who saw them as social outsiders mirroring his own experience as an artist. Although most of Picasso’s images lack the gaiety and spectacle of the performance, At the Circus portrays two entertainers standing atop a large horse. The delicately rendered figures lack costumes, safety equipment, a saddle, or bridle; Picasso focuses on their graceful performance as they move together in complete freedom.