1971 Buste de femme 1 Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1962-1973

The composition presents a portrait bust of a woman, rendered in a style characterized by fractured planes and simplified forms. The subjects face is dominated by large, almond-shaped eyes that convey a sense of melancholy or introspection. A prominent nose descends towards a small, pursed mouth, while the jawline is sharply defined and elongated. Hair, depicted in broad strokes of yellow, cascades down her shoulders, contributing to the overall verticality of the figure.
The artist employed a limited palette, primarily utilizing greens, yellows, pinks, and whites, with outlines drawn in blue. This restricted color scheme contributes to a sense of austerity and emphasizes the formal qualities of the composition over any attempt at naturalistic representation. The application of paint appears relatively loose and gestural, suggesting an immediacy and spontaneity in the creative process.
The woman is adorned with what seems to be a decorative headpiece or headdress, its swirling form echoing the curves found elsewhere in the painting. Her attire consists of a stylized bodice, delineated by angular lines that further fragment her form. The background is ambiguous, composed of broad areas of color that do not offer any specific spatial context.
Subtly, theres an exploration of identity and representation at play. The distortion of facial features and the flattening of perspective suggest a deliberate move away from traditional notions of beauty or realism. Instead, the artist seems interested in conveying psychological states through formal means – the sadness conveyed by the eyes, for instance, is not necessarily tied to any specific narrative but rather functions as an inherent quality of the depicted form. The fragmented nature of the figure could be interpreted as a reflection of a fractured sense of self or a commentary on the constructedness of identity.
The inscription in the lower left corner – 27.6. 71 – provides a temporal anchor, situating the work within a specific historical moment and hinting at a possible autobiographical element related to the artists personal experiences during that period.