When Julio González moved from Barcelona to Paris in 1900, he developed a close friendship with Pablo Picasso. However, after his brother passed away in 1908, González withdrew from the social circle and abandoned art-making altogether. Around 1926 the artist began creating again, and from 1928 to 1931 he helped Picasso execute a series of welded iron sculptures. All the while, his own work was becoming increasingly abstract. Harlequin is González’s interpretation of drawing in space. Given his close working relationship with Picasso, he was no doubt influenced by the artist’s late Cubist style.

Label from Picasso: The Artist and His Models, November 5, 2016–February 19, 2017