Costume design for ballet "Tricorne" 1917

This costume design for the ballet “Tricorne” was made by Pablo Picasso, and it’s really about lines, isn’t it? The way he uses them to suggest form and movement. Check out how the stripes on the torso curve and bend, giving a sense of depth and volume, even though it’s just a flat design. The blue and white stripes, the zig-zaggy shorts, the swirling bands around the legs—they all create a playful, almost chaotic energy. The colours are bold, but the application is kind of loose and sketchy, which makes it feel spontaneous, like Picasso was just riffing, you know? I’m reminded of Matisse’s paper cut-outs, especially in the way Picasso uses simple shapes and colours to create a dynamic composition, and how both artists used their work for the stage to inform their wider practice. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art is an ongoing experiment, a conversation between artists and ideas across time.