1923 TИte de Paulo Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1919-1930

The painting presents a close-up portrait of a young child, rendered with a palpable immediacy and expressive brushwork. The subjects face dominates the composition, filling nearly the entire frame. A dark reddish-brown hue pervades the background, creating a stark contrast against the child’s skin tones.
Here we see a direct gaze from the child; their eyes are large and appear to hold an unsettling intensity. The features are simplified, almost stylized, with a rounded face and full cheeks that suggest youthfulness. The artist employed a limited palette – primarily browns, reds, blues, and whites – applied in thick, visible strokes. This technique contributes to a sense of raw emotion and spontaneity.
The child is dressed in what appears to be a blue garment with a white collar, the details of which are suggested rather than precisely defined. The brushstrokes here are particularly loose, adding to the overall impression of informality.
Subtleties within the work hint at deeper meanings. The unusual coloring of the skin – a darker tone than typically associated with childhood portraits – might allude to themes of identity and cultural representation. The intensity of the gaze could be interpreted as a challenge to the viewer, or perhaps an expression of vulnerability. The backgrounds color, while seemingly simple, contributes to a feeling of confinement or isolation.
The painting’s power lies in its ability to evoke a complex range of emotions through its simplified forms and expressive application of paint. It is not merely a depiction of a child; it is a study of human expression and the complexities inherent within that expression.