The Handsome Barber c. 1914 - 1920

Curator: There's a certain lightness, an unfinished quality to "The Handsome Barber" by Jules Pascin. Editor: I see that, an almost dreamlike sketch with subtle color washes. It feels incredibly intimate, like a stolen moment. Curator: Executed sometime between 1914 and 1920, this watercolor drawing offers us a glimpse into what seems like a leisurely street scene. Pascin frequently depicted everyday life, imbuing it with his unique sensibilities. Look at how the barber attends to his customer next to the spiraling barber pole. The style shows an expressive confidence of Impressionism mixed with hints of modernist figuration. Editor: The characters have a certain stylized feel with a suggestion of darker tones. It’s intriguing because it simultaneously presents an individual narrative while suggesting a collective experience, almost like a social commentary, perhaps reflective of his itinerant life and engagement with various communities in Europe and America. Curator: It could also speak to a deeper desire, don't you think? Beyond the immediate reality, barbers have always represented something symbolically more than simply haircuts, and the setting suggests an atmosphere laden with both personal and societal histories, of ritual grooming and male society. It invites the viewer to step into this community tableau. Editor: I see that. I imagine this particular setting might signify stability, ritual, and belonging for many patrons. However, how are we, today, meant to negotiate seeing this picture, understanding its themes of work and leisure, with also bearing in mind the problematic lens through which such subjects would be interpreted during the period that it was created? What are we actually looking at when we view it now? Curator: Indeed, its complexities linger with the audience well beyond an initial viewing. In thinking of what’s changed, "The Handsome Barber," in some ways, still carries that human desire to connect and represent people's lives. Editor: It leaves me pondering how much art reflects or shapes society’s evolving narrative of culture and how it is remembered.