1971 TИte dhomme (pour Jacqueline) Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1962-1973

The work presents a portrait study executed in a stark, expressive style. Here we observe a male figure rendered with broad brushstrokes and a limited palette dominated by grayscale tones punctuated by touches of green and yellow. The face is the focal point, occupying nearly the entire frame.
The artist has emphasized certain features to create an unsettling effect. The eyes are disproportionately large and wide, conveying a sense of anxiety or heightened awareness. Their placement seems slightly off-center, contributing to the overall feeling of unease. Thick, dark lines delineate the eyebrows, nose, and beard, creating sharp contrasts that accentuate the angularity of the face. The beard is rendered with vigorous strokes, suggesting texture and perhaps agitation.
The background is a flat, unmodulated expanse of white, which serves to isolate the figure and intensify its presence. This lack of depth contributes to the paintings claustrophobic atmosphere. The hair falls in heavy strands, obscuring part of the forehead and adding to the sense of weight and confinement.
Beyond a straightforward depiction, the work seems to explore themes of psychological intensity and vulnerability. The exaggerated features suggest an attempt to capture not merely physical likeness but also an internal state – a feeling of apprehension or introspection. The limited color range reinforces this mood, evoking a sense of austerity and emotional restraint. It is possible that the portrait aims to convey a complex interplay between strength and fragility, presenting a figure simultaneously imposing and vulnerable.