1962 Femme au chapeau (Buste) Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1962-1973

The work presents a portrait bust, executed in a style characterized by fragmentation and reassembly of facial features. The subject is a woman wearing a large hat, its pinkish-red hue providing a focal point against the muted green background. The artist has employed a limited palette – primarily greens, yellows, blues, blacks, and reds – applied with visible brushstrokes that contribute to the painting’s textural quality.
The face itself is deconstructed; features are displaced and presented from multiple viewpoints simultaneously. One eye appears in profile while the other faces forward, creating a disorienting effect. The nose is rendered as a series of angular planes, disrupting its conventional form. A prominent vertical line bisects the face, further emphasizing this sense of division. This approach to representation moves beyond mere likeness and ventures into an exploration of perception and the subjective nature of visual experience.
The hat, while seemingly decorative, also functions as a compositional device, framing the face and adding volume to the upper portion of the bust. The lines defining its shape are bold and assertive, contrasting with the softer rendering of the facial features. Below the neck, a garment is suggested through broad strokes of blue and white, offering minimal detail but establishing a sense of form.
The overall impression is one of psychological intensity rather than straightforward portraiture. The disjointedness of the face could be interpreted as reflecting an internal state – perhaps anxiety, introspection, or a deliberate rejection of conventional beauty standards. The artist’s choice to depict the subject in this manner suggests an interest in conveying something beyond surface appearance; it hints at a deeper exploration of identity and the complexities of human expression. The date inscribed at the top left corner – 20.1.62 – provides a temporal anchor, situating the work within a specific historical context marked by significant social and artistic shifts.