1945 TИte de femme (FranЗoise Gilot) 3 Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1943-1961

The drawing presents a portrait study, executed in a monochromatic palette with visible textural variations achieved through hatching and cross-hatching techniques. Here we see a female subject depicted from the bust upwards, her face occupying nearly the entire frame. The artist employed a fragmented approach to representation; features are not rendered realistically but rather constructed from angular planes and intersecting lines.
The eyes, large and centrally positioned, command immediate attention. They possess an unsettling directness, their gaze seemingly fixed on the viewer with an intensity that borders on challenge. The nose is sharply defined, its form reduced to a series of geometric shapes. The mouth is rendered as a thin, almost austere line, contributing to an overall impression of restraint and perhaps even melancholy.
A significant portion of the composition is dedicated to depicting the subject’s hair, which cascades around her face in stylized waves. These are not naturalistic curls but rather bold, sweeping forms that contribute to the sense of dynamism within the image. The lines defining the hair are particularly assertive, creating a visual framework for the facial features and adding volume to the head.
The artists hand is evident in the visible strokes and tonal variations across the surface. Areas of dense hatching create shadows and suggest depth, while lighter areas define highlights and contours. This technique imparts a sense of immediacy and rawness to the work, suggesting it may be an exploratory study rather than a finished piece.
Subtly, there is a tension between the subject’s apparent strength – suggested by the assertive lines and direct gaze – and a certain vulnerability conveyed through the muted palette and somewhat austere expression. The fragmented nature of the portrait might imply a psychological complexity or perhaps a deliberate attempt to deconstruct conventional notions of feminine beauty. The overall effect is one of controlled intensity, hinting at an inner life that remains largely unrevealed.