1949 Claude Е deux ans avec son cheval Е roulettes Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1943-1961

The composition presents a child seated atop a rocking horse, rendered in a style characterized by simplified forms and fractured perspective. The scene is set against a backdrop that suggests an interior space, with a dark, imposing piece of furniture dominating the left side of the canvas. Above this, a window or opening reveals a muted sky.
The child’s face is notably stylized; features are reduced to essential elements – large eyes, a small nose, and a mouth rendered as a simple line. The attire consists of a checkered shirt and what appears to be a dark jacket adorned with a star emblem. This detail introduces an element of playful formality, hinting at a constructed identity or role-playing.
The rocking horse itself is similarly abstracted. Its form is angular and fragmented, the white body punctuated by black spots that create a sense of movement and visual interest. The saddle and bridle are depicted in vibrant colors – red, yellow, and blue – providing a stark contrast to the predominantly muted palette of the background and the child’s clothing.
The artist employed a limited color range, primarily consisting of blacks, grays, whites, blues, and touches of red and yellow. This restricted palette contributes to a sense of melancholy or introspection. The dark tones used for the furniture and the surrounding space create an atmosphere of enclosure, while the brighter colors on the rocking horse offer a focal point of childlike joy and vitality.
The arrangement of elements suggests a narrative – a moment of childhood play captured within a confined environment. The child’s posture is one of tentative control; the grip on the reins appears slightly strained, suggesting a nascent mastery over the toy.
Subtly, the painting evokes themes of innocence, imagination, and perhaps even vulnerability. The stylized representation of the child and horse could be interpreted as an exploration of how children perceive and interact with their world – a realm where fantasy and reality intertwine. The dark background might symbolize the anxieties or uncertainties that lie beneath the surface of childhood joy. Ultimately, the work seems to contemplate the transient nature of youth and the power of imagination in navigating a complex world.