1945 Poireaux, crГne et pichet 2 Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1943-1961

The composition presents a still life arrangement rendered in a fractured and fragmented style. A table surface dominates the foreground, its planes delineated by sharp angles and contrasting hues of yellow and ochre. Upon this surface are arranged several objects: a bundle of leeks (poireaux), a skull, and a pitcher.
The skull is centrally positioned, its features abstracted into geometric forms. Dark voids punctuate its face, creating an unsettling sense of emptiness and mortality. The leeks, depicted with elongated, angular shapes in shades of green, appear to both support and partially obscure the skull. Their presence introduces a note of organic life juxtaposed against the stark symbolism of death.
To the right, a pitcher stands upright, its form similarly deconstructed into planes and lines. A single eye is visible on its surface, adding an element of unsettling observation or perhaps even personification to the inanimate object. Behind these objects, a window or wall is suggested by a wash of blue, creating depth but also reinforcing the sense of confinement and isolation.
The artist’s use of perspective is deliberately distorted; multiple viewpoints are presented simultaneously, flattening the space and challenging traditional notions of representation. The palette is restrained, primarily utilizing blues, yellows, greens, and blacks, which contribute to a somber and melancholic atmosphere.
Subtexts within this work seem to revolve around themes of mortality, fragility, and the passage of time. The skull serves as an obvious memento mori, while the leeks may symbolize sustenance or fleeting existence. The pitcher’s single eye could be interpreted as a silent witness to these events, or perhaps even a representation of the artists own gaze upon the scene. The overall effect is one of quiet contemplation and a profound awareness of human impermanence.