Image: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
View source →Joie de Vivre (Antipolis)
Pablo Picasso, 1946
Technical Details
Medium
Fibro-cement
Dimensions
120 × 250 cm (47.2 × 98.4 in)
Style
Late Style
Decade
1940s
About This Work
Painted in the Château Grimaldi in Antibes in the joyful months after the Liberation of France, Joie de Vivre is one of Picasso's most exuberant works. Fauns, centaurs, and dancing figures celebrate in a sun-drenched Mediterranean landscape. The work marks a decisive turn from wartime darkness to postwar celebration, and it remains the centerpiece of the Musée Picasso Antibes.
In the autumn of 1946, the curator of the Château Grimaldi in Antibes offered Picasso studio space in the medieval castle. Working with whatever materials were available — including fibro-cement panels — Picasso produced an extraordinary series of works celebrating the end of the war and the return of joy to his life.
Current Location
Valuation & Provenance
2026 Estimated Value
Priceless / Not for sale
* Estimates are based on comparable auction results and market analysis. Not a formal appraisal.
Last Known Sale
No public auction record — held in permanent museum collection
Keywords
Continue Exploring
Related Artworks
Chosen for shared style, era, medium, subject, or date.
Portrait of a Painter (after El Greco)
1950 · same style · same era
The Pigeons
1957 · same style · same era
Claude Drawing, Françoise and Paloma
1954 · same style · same era
Sylvette (Portrait of Sylvette David)
1954 · same style · same era
Jacqueline in Turkish Costume
1955 · same style · same era
Nude in a Rocking Chair
1956 · same style · same era
Shop Related Products
If you love this late period masterpiece, explore these curated books and resources on Amazon.
Picasso: A Biography by John Richardson
Comprehensive biography exploring Picasso's life and artistic evolution
Picasso Museum Exhibition Catalogs
Official exhibition catalogs from major Picasso retrospectives
Picasso: A Life Documentary
Comprehensive documentary chronicling Picasso's entire artistic journey
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Each product link is unique to help us track which recommendations resonate most with our visitors.