1961 Femme assise au chapeau Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1943-1961

The composition presents a seated figure, rendered in a style characterized by fractured planes and simplified forms. The subject is positioned centrally within the frame, her posture suggesting a deliberate stillness or introspection. She sits on what appears to be a chair, though its form is abstracted and integrated with the surrounding space through overlapping planes of color.
The artist employed a restricted palette dominated by blues, greens, browns, and creams. These colors are not used naturalistically but rather as structural elements contributing to the overall geometric arrangement. The face is particularly striking; it’s constructed from angular shapes that disrupt conventional notions of portraiture. One eye is prominently displayed, rendered with an almost unsettling directness, while the other is obscured by a dark plane, creating a sense of asymmetry and psychological complexity. A large hat or head covering dominates the upper portion of the figure, further emphasizing the fragmented nature of her identity.
The use of perspective is unconventional; spatial relationships are flattened and distorted, contributing to a feeling of detachment rather than realism. The lines defining the form are sharp and decisive, yet they do not create a sense of volume or depth. Instead, they serve to delineate distinct planes that intersect at oblique angles.
Subtly, there’s an air of melancholy conveyed through the figures posture and the muted color scheme. The obscured eye could be interpreted as representing hidden emotions or a deliberate withholding of self. The angularity of the forms suggests a sense of tension or unease, while the overall stillness implies a moment of quiet contemplation. The work seems to explore themes of identity, perception, and the complexities of human emotion through a lens of formal abstraction. It’s not merely a depiction of a woman; its an exploration of how we construct and perceive identity itself.