1922 Bouteille, guitare et compotier Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1919-1930

The composition presents a fragmented still life rendered in a distinctly analytical style. Here we observe a grouping of objects – a bottle, a guitar, and a fruit bowl – deconstructed into geometric planes and presented from multiple viewpoints simultaneously. The artist has eschewed traditional perspective, instead opting for a flattened pictorial space where the boundaries between foreground and background are deliberately blurred.
The color palette is restrained, dominated by blues, reds, yellows, and blacks. These hues are applied in broad blocks, often intersected by sharp lines that further emphasize the fractured nature of the scene. The use of parallel hatching within certain areas creates a sense of texture and visual rhythm, while also contributing to the overall feeling of compartmentalization.
The bottle, centrally positioned, is perhaps the most recognizable element, though its form is radically simplified into angular shapes. The guitar’s presence introduces an element of musicality, yet it too is broken down into facets that deny any easy recognition. The fruit bowl, partially obscured by other forms, appears as a collection of intersecting planes rather than a cohesive vessel.
The subtexts within this work seem to revolve around the nature of perception and representation. By dismantling familiar objects into their constituent parts, the artist challenges the viewer’s assumptions about how we see and understand the world. The multiple perspectives suggest an attempt to capture not just one view but the totality of an objects existence – its various facets revealed through different angles.
The compartmentalized structure could be interpreted as a reflection of the anxieties and uncertainties of the post-war era, where traditional structures and values were being questioned. There is a sense of isolation and fragmentation inherent in the arrangement, hinting at a world perceived as fractured and disjointed. The signature in the upper left corner, though seemingly incidental, serves to anchor the work within a specific historical context, acknowledging the artist’s role in shaping this innovative approach to representation.