1959 Portrait de Jacqueline de profil II Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1943-1961

Here we see a portrait of a woman seated in a chair, rendered in a highly stylized and fragmented manner. The composition is dominated by sharp angles and geometric shapes, characteristic of a Cubist approach. The figures face is presented in profile with an abstracted nose and eye, while the other side shows a frontal view, creating a sense of simultaneity and multiple perspectives.
The color palette is restricted to predominantly black, white, red, and green, contributing to a stark and somewhat unsettling atmosphere. Red is used strategically to highlight areas such as the chest and parts of the dress, drawing attention to the figures form while simultaneously adding a note of intensity or perhaps even anxiety. The background is a dark green, which contrasts with the lighter tones of the figure and further emphasizes her isolation within the frame.
The chair itself is simplified into angular blocks, mirroring the fragmentation of the subject’s features. It appears almost as an extension of the womans form, blurring the boundaries between individual elements. The decorative element in the upper left corner, rendered in green with a stylized pattern, introduces a touch of ornamentation that contrasts with the overall austerity of the piece.
The artist depicted a sense of introspection and perhaps melancholy through the figure’s gaze, which is directed slightly away from the viewer, suggesting a withdrawal or internal focus. The lack of detail and the flattened perspective contribute to an impersonal quality, as if the subject is being observed rather than engaged with. This work seems less concerned with realistic representation and more focused on exploring the formal qualities of shape, color, and composition to convey a psychological state or emotional resonance.