Pablo Picasso, a master of the Surrealism style, created a series of musketeer paintings in his later years which included “Musketeer with Pipe” in 1968. This painting depicts an archetypal musketeer recognizable by his long hair, shaped mustache, and ruff collar while holding a pipe. Sword-brandishing figures also appear in the series alongside the musketeers.
Picasso’s musketeers are depicted with immense pride which borders on being laughable or absurd. They seem to embody an exaggerated sense of masculinity and bravado that appealed to Picasso’s personal artistic vision towards the end of his career. The painting is oil on canvas and part of a private collection with an estimated value in the region of $30 million.
As one of the established artists who was credited for inspiring other painters in Western art history, Picasso’s works continue to be studied closely today by art historians and critics alike. While some may view “Musketeer with Pipe” as starkly different from other well-known works, it remains a testament to his ability as an abstract artist whose work had blown away many individuals during successive eras right up to this day.
