Head of a Man 1937

Joan Miró made this “Head of a Man” using paint and crayon, materials that are tied to traditional art making, but with a twist. Miró’s method, with its bold, flat shapes, reveals much about the way he understood the world. The textures he achieved are a result of layering paint to create depth and luminosity within the contours of the figure. Notice how Miró scratched into the crayon, disrupting its smooth surface and revealing the layers beneath. These direct, hands-on processes link Miró to both the world of fine art and the more quotidian realms of craft and design. This work, and indeed Miró’s practice in general, challenges conventional distinctions between these categories. By embracing the tactile qualities of his materials and processes, he invites us to consider the labor and the touch of the artist’s hand. The raw immediacy of his materials reflects his interest in the power and energy of primal expression.