Color lithograph, paper, 40 × 46 cm (image size), mounted under passe-partout measuring 56 × 70 cm.
Signed in the plate below the composition lower right: “Picasso”, and hand-numbered in pencil: “100/200”.
Lower left bears a dry stamp of the certified publisher, inscribed “PICASSO”.
On the reverse, there is a colored facsimile of a Picasso drawing (a so-called “head” sketch) with a printed signature and publishing details:
“Copyright Foundation Pablo Picasso / edition of 200 / each copy individually numbered.”
€ 650,00
“Minotaur and Sirens” is a surrealist depiction of mythological figures. The image presents a Minotaur—a half-man, half-bull creature—carrying a nude woman, a scene charged with drama and symbolism. The sirens, known from Greek mythology as seductive and dangerous beings, also appear in the composition, lending the piece a mystical and ominous atmosphere.
Like many of Picasso’s works from this period, the image is rich in symbolism. The Minotaur often appears in Picasso’s art as a symbol of internal conflict, primal instinct, and brutality. Here, the act of carrying a naked woman can represent violence, dominance, and the complex dynamic between strength and vulnerability. The Minotaur is also frequently associated with unrestrained sexuality, reflecting Picasso’s personal struggles and intense relationships with women.
The sirens, echoing their mythological role, enhance the painting’s mood of temptation, danger, and the unknown. Their presence deepens the tension, reinforcing themes of seduction and emotional turmoil.
The Minotaur is widely regarded as a symbolic alter ego of Picasso himself. During the 1930s, when he was especially focused on this motif, Picasso was living through a period marked by personal and political upheaval—the Spanish Civil War, his turbulent romantic entanglements, and the broader climate of unrest all profoundly shaped his art.
For Picasso, the Minotaur became a powerful visual metaphor through which he could explore and express emotional intensity, sexual tension, and existential unrest.
