The artwork titled “Glass of Absinthe” is a sculpture by renowned artist Pablo Picasso, created in 1914. This piece, which is a part of the Cubist movement, is skillfully crafted from painted bronze with a perforated silver absinthe spoon, measuring 21.5 cm in height and 16.5 cm in width. The genre of the piece is sculpture, and it is housed in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
“Glass of Absinthe” exhibits typical characteristics of Cubism, with its fragmented and geometric form that challenges traditional perspectives. The sculpture portrays a glass of the once-popular and now iconic drink, absinthe, complete with a spoon commonly used in the preparation of the drink, which rests across the top. Picasso’s use of color and material brings a tactile sensibility to the sculpture, contrasting the textured bronze with a seemingly delicate silver spoon. The dots that decorate the glass mimic the effect of light passing through a liquid-filled, patterned glass. The representation of the subject is abstract; however, we can discern the distinct shapes that suggest the form of a typical absinthe glass. Through this work, Picasso explores the perceived boundaries between two-dimensional and three-dimensional representation, inviting viewers to engage with the artwork from multiple angles to fully grasp its complexity.
