Picasso's One-Liners

Picasso's "one-liners" constitute a small but delightful contribution to the artist's great body of drawings. His preeminence as a draughtsman has long been recognized, but the unique nature of his one-liners has never been fully examined, or collected together in a single volume. Picasso's One-Liners, featuring fifty drawings, offers a fascinating look at this whimsical side of Picasso's work.

Defined simply, one-liners are drawings in which the artist's drawing implement touches the paper and is not lifted until the drawing is finished. Picasso worked this way in a variety of media, including pencil, pen and ink, brush, and crayon and his subjects included harlequins, musicians, circus scenes, and animals. Each drawing is worth careful study, for by following the vibrant line closely, one's eyes take a wonderful rollercoaster ride.

Along with the "one-liner" art are quotes taken from Picasso's writing, giving full flavor to the influence of the art and the man.