In this work, JR reinterprets a 1915–1916 photograph of Pablo Picasso taken in his Paris studio on rue Schoelcher. He focuses on Picasso’s eye, cropping and enlarging it before pasting it onto the walls of Idem Paris, a historic print shop where Picasso himself produced lithographs from 1945 onwards.
The title references Picasso’s 1916 Cubist painting Homme Accoudé Sur Une Table (“Man Leaning on a Table”), a work that exemplifies his exploration of geometric abstraction and the interplay between naturalistic and synthetic forms. By juxtaposing his own image with this pivotal piece, JR bridges a century of artistic innovation, reflecting on themes of identity, perception, and the enduring influence of modernist pioneers.