1913 Femme en chemise assise dans un fauteuil Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1908-1918

The composition presents a figure seated in what appears to be an armchair. The subject is rendered through a fractured and fragmented approach, characteristic of early Cubism. Instead of depicting a unified form, the artist deconstructs the body into geometric planes and overlapping shapes. These facets are not arranged according to traditional perspective; rather, they suggest multiple viewpoints simultaneously presented on a single plane.
The color palette is dominated by earthy tones – ochres, browns, and muted purples – with occasional flashes of orange and pink. The limited range contributes to a sense of somberness and introspection. Light doesnt fall naturally upon the figure; instead, it seems to emanate from within the planes themselves, highlighting their angularity and creating an unsettling flatness.
The woman’s posture is ambiguous. She appears both relaxed and rigid, her body seemingly molded into the contours of the chair. The garment she wears – a shirt – is also broken down into geometric components, further blurring the distinction between figure and object. A newspaper or similar printed material lies partially visible in the lower left corner; only a few letters are legible, adding an element of detached modernity to the scene.
The overall effect is one of alienation and psychological complexity. The fragmentation of form can be interpreted as a visual representation of fractured identity or a questioning of traditional notions of beauty and representation. The deliberate distortion challenges the viewers expectations and invites a more active engagement with the work, demanding that they reconstruct the image from its constituent parts. There’s an underlying sense of confinement – the figure seems trapped within both the chair and the rigid geometry of the composition – suggesting themes of societal constraint or internal struggle. The lack of clear emotional expression on the subjects face reinforces this feeling of detachment and ambiguity, leaving room for multiple interpretations regarding her state of mind.