The Human Comedy

La Comédie Humaine: Picasso’s Satirical Diary of the Artist and Muse

In the 1954 special double issue of the French art review Verve (Nos. 29–30), Picasso unveiled a deeply personal suite of 180 drawings titled La Comédie Humaine. Created during a period of intense personal crisis following his separation from Françoise Gilot, these works serve as a visual diary exploring the ironic, often grotesque relationship between the aging artist and his youthful models. Published by the legendary Tériade and printed by the masters at Mourlot Frères, the edition features 12 original color lithographs (plus additional color plates and heliogravures after Picasso’s drawings) that are now highly prized for their raw, satirical energy. For collectors, these prints capture a pivotal "masked" self-portrait of Picasso, marking the beginning of his late-period obsession with legacy and the human condition.