At the Cabaret by Pablo Picasso

At the Cabaret

Pablo Picasso · 1961

Scroll

“Stop and look at this lively etching, "At the Cabaret." It captures the bustling energy of a night out, with a sharply dressed woman at its heart, rendered in striking contrasts of light and shadow.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

In "At the Cabaret," a woman with a dramatic hat and fur stole dominates the scene, her gaze directed off to the side, perhaps at a performer or a companion. The etching's stark contrasts of light and shadow create a lively, almost boisterous atmosphere typical of a cabaret setting. Her heavy makeup and elaborate attire suggest a woman of a certain social standing, enjoying an evening out. The frenetic energy of the lines, particularly in the background figures, captures the bustling environment. This 1961 work, created late in the artist's career, shows a return to figuration with a raw, expressive quality, characteristic of his explorations of the human form and social scenes throughout his life.

DETAILS
Artist
Pablo Picasso
Date
1961
Medium
Etching
Location
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dimensions
plate: 9 3/8 x 11 3/4 in. (23.8 x 29.8 cm)
Collection
Drawings and Prints
Credit line
Gift of Reiss-Cohen Inc., 1983
ART MOVEMENTS
LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

At the Cabaret

← → step through · Esc to close
5 details are marked · pick a number
01

Man in the foreground

Start with the dark-haired man at left, leaning on the table. His heavy profile and the fist resting on the tabletop anchor the scene.

1 of 5 on the painting
02

The leaning pair

Two heads press close at the center, one tipped toward the other. Their blurred, overlapping faces suggest closeness, though the sketch leaves the mood open.

2 of 5 on the painting
03

Slashing black hatching

Look at the coat at lower left, built from fast, dense black strokes with a few blue lines. The speed gives weight and mood.

3 of 5 on the painting
04

The small glass

A tiny glass with a touch of orange sits on the bare table. It is the one small spot of warm color, and it hints at a cafe or cabaret setting.

4 of 5 on the painting
05

Hunched figure at right

At right, a dark figure bows over the table, nearly lost in scribbled shadow. It balances the group on the other side of the composition.

5 of 5 on the painting
AUDIO DEEP DIVE

Stand in front of it and listen

The full narration walks you through At the Cabaret — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.

0:00Preview · 0:30Free preview · 0:30 Hear the full story in the app
THE ARTIST

Pablo Picasso

1881–1973 · Spain

Pablo Picasso, the Spanish painter who co-founded Cubism, revolutionized 20th-century art with a career spanning over 76 years.

Read Picasso’s full story
MORE FROM THIS ARTIST

Further Works by Picasso

1 / 2
EXPLORE THE MOVEMENT

More from Post-Impressionism

1 / 1
KEEP EXPLORING

More works to explore

Beyond Picasso and Post-Impressionism: works from the same years, and from the other movements At the Cabaret belongs to.

Figure with Meat Same movement · Cubism Figure with Meat Francis Bacon · 1954 · Art Institute of Chicago Greyed Rainbow Same era · 1940s–1970s Greyed Rainbow Jackson Pollock · 1953 · Art Institute of Chicago Untitled (Desert Landscape) Same movement · Surrealism Untitled (Desert Landscape) Salvador Dalí · 1934 · Art Institute of Chicago Sun Spot Same era · 1940s–1970s Sun Spot Yayoi Kusama · 1953 · Art Institute of Chicago The Eye Same movement · Surrealism The Eye René Magritte · 1932 · Art Institute of Chicago Essai Same era · 1940s–1970s Essai Sam Francis · 1963 · Art Institute of Chicago Dada Gauguin Same movement · Surrealism Dada Gauguin Max Ernst · 1920 · Art Institute of Chicago Impregnazione Same era · 1940s–1970s Impregnazione Piero Manzoni · 1958
Hear At the Cabaret’s storyFree in the Art Whisper app Open