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Student Artwork Guide

Untitled (10)

Pablo Picasso, 1920

Name Class Date
Pablo Picasso, Untitled (10) (1920). Reproduced for reference; rights reserved by the rights holder. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Pablo Picasso topimpressionists.com/en/artists/pablo-picasso/
Artist’s dates
1881 – 1973
Painted
1920
Medium
Acrylic On Canvas
Movement
Cubism Objects broken apart and shown from several viewpoints at once, all flattened onto one surface.
Artistic style
Cubist
Influences
Picasso
Notable elements
Distorted face, objects
Subject or theme
Portrait

Copyright This work is still under copyright. Pablo Picasso died in 1973; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it remains in force until 2043. The image is shown here for classroom reference; rights remain with the rights holder.

Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso

When was this painted?

  1. 1880
  2. 1890
  3. 1900
  4. 1910
  5. 1920
  6. 1930
  7. 1940
  8. 1950
  9. 1960
  10. 1970

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 92 at death.

Painted when the artist was 39. The artist lived to 92. 508 of the 1098 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) ▲ this work, 1920 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1906 Main working years: 1906–1939 Late works: from 1939

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/pablo-picasso-untitled-10-8XYNRA-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Driftwood #cb905d

    Catalogued palette

    • #CB905D
    • #3E2224
    • #E8D0C9
    • #BF1D0A

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Metallics The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Driftwood
    Intensity
    Vivid How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Brilliant How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Balanced Soft How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Pablo Picasso over the last twelve months — 106 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 38.6%
    2. 2 United States of America 6.7%
    3. 3 France 4.2%
    4. 4 Italy 4.2%
    5. 5 Germany 3.9%
    6. 6 Spain 3.6%
    7. 7 Brazil 2.4%
    8. 8 Japan 2.3%
    9. 9 India 2.1%
    10. 10 Singapore 1.8%
    11. · 96 other countries 30.2%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Pablo Picasso

    1. 1 Guernica, 1937 10.9%
    2. 2 Three Musicians, 1921 9.5%
    3. 3 The Young Ladies of Avignon, 1907 3.6%
    4. 4 Portrait of Ambroise Vollard, 1910 2.4%
    5. 5 A boy with pipe, 1905 1.6%
    6. 6 Two women running on the beach (The race), 1922 1.2%
    7. 7 Self-Portrait, 1906 0.8%
    8. 8 Women of Algiers (Version O), 1955 0.7%
    9. 9 La Vie (Life), 1903 0.5%
    10. 10 Guitar player, 1910 0.5%
    11. 11 Saltimbanques (The Family of Saltimbanques), 1905 0.5%
    12. 12 Sabartes, 1901 0.5%
    13. 13 Child with dove, 1901 0.5%
    14. 14 Mediterranean Landscape, 1952 0.5%
    15. 15 Friendship, 1908 0.5%
    16. 16 Portrait of Dora Maar, 1937 0.4%
    17. 17 Woman with book, 1932 0.4%
    18. 18 Acrobat and young harlequin, 1905 0.4%
    19. 19 Glass and Bottle of Suze, 1912 0.4%
    20. — Untitled (10), 1920 this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 35.8% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 2304 works by this artist, of which 1470 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso Part 2 · In context

    About this artwork

    Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso

    A Descent into the Psyche: Unpacking Pablo Picasso’s “Untitled (10)”

    Painted in 1920, during a pivotal period of artistic exploration for Pablo Picasso, “Untitled (10)” is not merely a portrait; it's a visceral excavation of the human psyche. The image confronts us with a face fractured and fragmented – a deliberate distortion that transcends simple representation to become a profound meditation on identity, memory, and perhaps even mortality. Picasso, having recently emerged from the intensely analytical world of Cubism, was seeking new ways to express emotion, moving beyond geometric deconstruction towards a more subjective and emotionally charged approach.

    The painting’s palette is deliberately restrained – predominantly muted browns, ochres, and greys punctuated by flashes of crimson and violet. This somber coloration immediately establishes a mood of melancholy and introspection. Notice how Picasso employs color not to depict reality but to evoke feeling; the deep browns suggest age and weariness, while the vibrant reds hint at suppressed passions or perhaps even violence. The layering of these colors creates an almost sculptural quality, adding depth and texture to the portrait.

    Technique: Picasso’s brushwork is loose and expressive, a departure from the meticulous precision of his earlier Cubist works. He utilizes short, broken strokes that build up layers of paint, creating a sense of movement and dynamism within the static image.

    Composition: The arrangement of objects – the cup, bowl, and spoon – isn’t merely decorative; they are carefully positioned to create visual tension and disrupt the viewer's perception of the face. Their placement seems almost haphazard, yet each contributes to a complex interplay of form and space.

    Distortion: The deliberate distortion of the facial features is key to understanding the painting’s emotional core. Picasso isn’t attempting to create a realistic likeness; he's using exaggeration and fragmentation to convey an inner state – perhaps confusion, anxiety, or even grief.

    Echoes of Melancholy: A Reflection on Loss

    Picasso’s artistic journey was deeply intertwined with personal tragedy. The loss of his sister in childhood, followed by the death of his mother and later his mistress Dora Maar, profoundly impacted his work. “Untitled (10)” resonates with this underlying sense of sorrow and remembrance. The fragmented face can be interpreted as a representation of shattered memories or a struggle to reconcile with past losses. The objects surrounding the figure – the cup, bowl, spoon – might symbolize sustenance, comfort, or even the remnants of a lost relationship.

    Interestingly, this period in Picasso’s life coincided with his exploration of Surrealism, albeit on his own terms. He was drawn to the dreamlike imagery and psychological themes associated with the movement, but he resisted its rigid dogma. “Untitled (10)” embodies this synthesis – a blend of rational observation and subconscious emotion.

    The Legacy of a Revolutionary Artist

    Picasso’s influence on 20th-century art is undeniable. “Untitled (10)” stands as a testament to his innovative spirit and his willingness to challenge conventional notions of representation. It exemplifies the shift from objective observation to subjective expression that characterized modern art, paving the way for subsequent generations of artists.

    Considered alongside other works from this period, such as “Guernica,” it reveals Picasso’s ongoing engagement with themes of war, suffering, and the human condition. The painting's enduring power lies in its ability to evoke a profound emotional response – a sense of unease, vulnerability, and ultimately, a recognition of our shared humanity.

    Bringing “Untitled (10)” into Your Space

    WahooArt offers meticulously crafted hand-painted reproductions of “Untitled (10),” allowing you to experience the depth and emotion of this iconic artwork in your own home. Our artists replicate Picasso’s distinctive brushwork, color palette, and compositional techniques with exceptional skill and attention to detail.

    Whether you're an art enthusiast, a collector seeking to expand your collection, or simply someone looking for a captivating piece of art décor, our reproductions provide a beautiful and authentic way to connect with Picasso’s legacy. Explore the available sizes and canvas options on our website today – and bring this powerful portrait into your world.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso Part 3 · About this artwork

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Pablo Picasso

    Born in Malaga, Spain

    The boy from Málaga

    A child's first words in Málaga were “piz, piz,” a small attempt at saying pencil. This early pull toward the lead and paper was nurtured by his father, José Ruiz y Blasco, who taught him the basics of figure drawing and oil painting. The boy learned to copy the masters and draw from plaster casts under a disciplined eye. As he grew, the family moved through A Coruña and Barcelona. These years were marked by the quiet weight of loss, particularly the death of his sister, Conchita, from diphtheria when she was only seven. Such shadows would later find their way into the heavy, blue-green tones of his early work.

    By thirteen, he was already taking entrance exams for advanced classes in Barcelona, finishing in a week what took others a month. His hands moved with a precision that even his father noticed, once seeing him paint over an unfinished sketch of a pigeon with such accuracy that the instructor realized the student had surpassed him. He eventually moved to Paris, a city where he would spend much of his adult life, constantly shifting his focus from one way of seeing to another.

    Shifting palettes and fractured forms

    The early twentieth century saw his work move through distinct phases of color and mood. There was the Blue Period, where the canvases were filled with beggars, the blind, and the lonely, rendered in somber shades of blue. This gave way to the Rose Period, a time when pinks, oranges, and reds appeared, often featuring the figures of circus performers like harlequins and acrobats. These years showed a man reacting to his own life and the world around him through the temperature of his palette.

    In 1907, the way he handled space changed fundamentally with Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. Influenced by African masks and Iberian sculpture, he began to break objects into geometric shapes. Alongside Georges Braque, he developed Cubism. This involved two main stages:

    Analytic Cubism: A method of fragmenting objects into muted, geometric pieces as if dissecting the form itself.

    Synthetic Cubism: An approach that brought in collage elements like newspaper clippings and fabric scraps to add texture and new layers.

    A life of constant change

    His work never settled into a single way of being. He explored Neoclassicism with large, monumental figures and later engaged with the imagery of Surrealism, using distorted perspectives to tap into the subconscious. The violence of the Spanish Civil War left its mark on his canvas in 1937 through Guernica. This large oil painting used a stark palette of black, white, and grey to show the suffering of a bombed town, featuring a gored horse, a bull, and screaming women. It remains a heavy, monochromatic response to the chaos of war.

    In his later years, he continued to experiment with ceramics, sculpture, and printmaking. He even created large-scale public works, such as the 1967 steel sculpture in Chicago, which was inspired by the head of his Afghan Hound, Kabul. He died in Mougins, France, leaving behind a massive collection of work that spans over seventy-six years of experimentation.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Untitled (10)

    topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/pablo-picasso-untitled-10-8XYNRA-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Picasso, Pablo. Untitled (10). 1920, https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/pablo-picasso-untitled-10-8XYNRA-en/
    APA
    Picasso, Pablo (1920). Untitled (10) [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/pablo-picasso-untitled-10-8XYNRA-en/
    Chicago
    Pablo Picasso. Untitled (10). 1920. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/pablo-picasso-untitled-10-8XYNRA-en/
    Harvard
    Picasso, Pablo (1920) Untitled (10). Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/pablo-picasso-untitled-10-8XYNRA-en/

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso Part 4 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: portrait, distortion, color. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Guernica (1937), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Cubism: Objects broken apart and shown from several viewpoints at once, all flattened onto one surface. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso Part 5 · Look closely

    Art quiz

    Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso

    How well do you know this artwork?

    Tick one answer for each of the 5 questions below. Each has exactly one correct answer.

    1. 1. What is the primary subject of Pablo Picasso’s ‘Untitled (10)’?

      • A A landscape scene
      • B A portrait of a person's face with distorted features and surrounding objects
      • C An abstract geometric composition

    2. 2. The painting ‘Untitled (10)’ is primarily associated with which artistic movement?

      • A Impressionism
      • B Cubism
      • C Renaissance portraiture

    3. 3. Which of the following best describes the style evident in ‘Untitled (10)’?

      • A Realistic and naturalistic depiction
      • B A highly stylized and fragmented representation, characterized by multiple perspectives and geometric forms
      • C Strict adherence to classical artistic conventions

    4. 4. Considering Pablo Picasso’s biography, what is a key element reflected in his work during the period of ‘Untitled (10)’?

      • A A focus on idyllic rural scenes
      • B The influence of classical Greek sculpture and mythology
      • C Themes of melancholy, mortality, and personal tragedy

    5. 5. What is the significance of the objects (cup, bowl, spoon) included in ‘Untitled (10)’?

      • A They represent a still life arrangement for aesthetic pleasure
      • B They serve as purely decorative elements with no symbolic meaning
      • C They add depth and complexity to the portrait by creating a sense of narrative and context

    My score: ____ out of 5

    Answer key — for the teacher

    This starts a fresh printed page, so it can simply be left out of the copies.

    1B · 2B · 3B · 4C · 5C

    Check any answer against the catalogue record for this painting

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    Untitled (10) — Pablo Picasso Part 6 · Art quiz

    Questions & Answers

    Are the colors of "Untitled (10)" by Pablo Picasso vivid or muted?

    The colors of "Untitled (10)" by Pablo Picasso show a balanced soft saturation with a vivid intensity.

    How does "Untitled (10)" by Pablo Picasso connect Cubism to the artist's home country?

    The Cubism work "Untitled (10)" was made by an artist born in Spain.

    Where does "Untitled (10)" sit within Pablo Picasso's body of work?

    Within Pablo Picasso's output, "Untitled (10)" sits in the Cubism style, alongside the themes of influenced by african art, reflects war’s trauma, grief, anti-war statement, protest, exploration of perception”, “fragmented reality”, central to cubist legacy”.