Picasso's "Harlequin" and Eddie Redmayne

A handful of days ago, I became familiar with Picasso's "Harlequin Leaning" (1901), and I've left an image of it open on my browser so I could look at it periodically. The affected gesture of the two fingers raised up to the cheek is so amusing to me. It reminds me a little bit of something that the Scarlet Pimpernel would do, or an exaggerated gesture that my former student Chris J would do for comedic effect. (I remember attending a tour that Chris J led at the Frye probably about ten years ago, and he raised his palm to his hand and said "Woe is me!" to describe the emotional state of Bouguereau's shepherdess, and it was so amusing that it stuck with me, so I guess that is where the association with him and harlequin's gesture is coming from.)

But then today I saw this video clip of Eddie Redmayne promoting his Cabaret Broadway production on the Jimmy Fallon show, and his affected gestures and hunched-over posture (particularly at 8:14) remind me of this painting too. So now I like this painting for another reason, because of makes me think of Eddie Redmayne and his endearingly gangly and charming self.