The Sculptor, 1931 by Pablo Picasso

Throughout his life, Picasso produced a vast array of sculptures in a variety of media. These began with his Cubist sculptures of the period 1910-14. After this Picasso abandoned the art for a while, only beginning again in the late 1920s, with a series of wire constructions based upon simple line drawings produced in three dimensions. Around this time Picasso established a new sculpture studio in Boisgeloup, 65 km (40 miles) north of Paris, and began to produce a series of sculptures, many of monumental proportions reminiscent of monolithic figures, Picasso's interest in sculpture at this time can also be traced in a number of etchings, drawings and paintings he produced based upon the theme of the sculptor in his studio.

In this work, Picasso has represented the sculptor - probably himself - in a studio setting, contemplating his own works. Two sculptures are also included in the composition: a large bust of a woman staring down at the sculptor; and, in the background, a nude figure, constructed from sensual rounded forms, caressing a tube-like element mounted on a plinth. Here, sensuality and sexuality pervade the sculptor's sense of reverie.