1940 Buste de femme 2 Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1931-1942

The composition presents a fragmented portrait of a woman, rendered in a style characterized by angularity and geometric simplification. The figure is depicted from the bust upwards, set against a textured background of ochre and yellow hues. These warm tones create an immediate sense of enclosure and intensity.
Here we see the face broken down into distinct planes; the left side features a darker palette of greens and blacks, while the right side is rendered in stark white with a single, sharply defined eye. This division suggests a duality or perhaps a fractured psychological state. The nose is represented as a sharp wedge, intersecting the facial planes, further emphasizing the deconstruction of traditional portraiture. A stylized necklace adorns the neck, its blue gemstone providing a focal point amidst the surrounding colors.
The hair is depicted as large, rounded masses that appear to frame and simultaneously overwhelm the face. They contribute to an overall sense of monumentality and perhaps even confinement. The shoulders are indicated by broad strokes of green, leading down into a red garment which abruptly terminates at the lower edge of the canvas. This abrupt cutoff reinforces the feeling of isolation and incompleteness.
The artist’s brushwork is visible throughout, adding texture and dynamism to the surface. Theres an intentional roughness in the application of paint that contributes to the overall sense of emotional tension. The limited color palette, dominated by earth tones punctuated by the blue gemstone and red garment, reinforces a feeling of austerity and restraint.
Subtly, there’s a suggestion of melancholy conveyed through the asymmetrical composition and the fragmented nature of the figure. The single visible eye, rendered with an almost unsettling directness, seems to convey a sense of quiet observation or perhaps even resignation. The work doesnt offer easy answers; instead, it presents a complex psychological portrait that invites contemplation on themes of identity, fragmentation, and emotional resilience.