Picasso in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Actor, 1904-05
Around 1904 or so, the pessimism of the blue period gave way to romantic themes, and the artist's palette shifted toward reds and oranges, a time known as the rose period. Instead of vagabonds and laborers, Picasso's canvases were dominated by harlequins and circus performers. The canvas above, painted during this time, was damaged recently when an art student fell into the painting, leaving a 6-in. tear in the lower right corner. The repair took three months; the piece was restored in time for this exhibition.

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