1938 Nature morte Е la bougie, palette et tИte de minotaure rouge Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1931-1942

The composition presents a still life arrangement imbued with unsettling psychological weight. A prominent figure dominates the right side of the canvas: a head rendered in shades of ochre and crimson, possessing distinctly demonic features – horns jutting from its brow, elongated eyes conveying an expression that oscillates between melancholy and menace. The face is stylized, flattened, characteristic of a fractured perspective.
To the left, a candle stands tall against a backdrop of muted greens and purples. Its flame, rendered as a burst of white light, provides a stark contrast to the somber palette of the surrounding elements. A book lies open on a table, its pages seemingly filled with an indecipherable script. Piercing through the page are three thin, dark lines – likely intended to represent arrows or spears, adding a layer of aggression and potential threat to the scene.
A painters palette is positioned near the book, suggesting artistic creation as a central theme. A small square of canvas sits atop the table, bearing what appears to be a signature, further reinforcing this connection to the act of painting itself. The background is constructed from geometric planes – a series of intersecting rectangles and triangles – that contribute to the overall sense of spatial distortion and fragmentation.
The arrangement suggests a complex interplay between creation and destruction, intellect and primal instinct. The presence of the demonic figure implies an exploration of darker aspects of human nature or perhaps a commentary on artistic inspiration drawn from unsettling sources. The book and palette might symbolize knowledge and creativity, but their juxtaposition with the menacing head introduces a sense of unease – as if these pursuits are tainted by something sinister. The arrows impaling the book could represent censorship, repression, or the destructive power of criticism aimed at creative endeavors.
The color scheme is deliberately restrained, relying on earthy tones punctuated by the vibrant red of the figures face and the stark white of the candle flame. This limited palette enhances the painting’s emotional intensity and contributes to its overall atmosphere of brooding introspection. The work seems less a straightforward depiction of objects than an exploration of psychological states – a visual representation of internal conflict or a meditation on the darker impulses that can fuel artistic expression.