1917 Femme devant un livre * Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1908-1918

The composition presents a figure seated before an open book, rendered in a fractured and fragmented style. The artist employs a palette dominated by blues, greens, grays, reds, and ochres, applied in flat planes that disrupt traditional perspective and spatial coherence. Here we see the subject’s face deconstructed into geometric shapes; the eyes are positioned asymmetrically, and the nose is reduced to an angular form. A vertical arrangement of lines suggests hair or a headdress, while foliage appears to sprout from behind the figures head, introducing a naturalistic element that contrasts with the overall abstraction.
The book itself occupies a significant portion of the lower register, its pages delineated by sharp angles and contrasting colors. The hands holding the volume are simplified, almost skeletal in their depiction, emphasizing perhaps the act of reading rather than the physical form of the hands themselves.
A sense of enclosure is established through the use of angular planes that define the background and frame the figure. These shapes do not function as a conventional backdrop but instead contribute to the overall feeling of spatial ambiguity and confinement. The color red, particularly prominent on the right side, introduces an element of intensity or perhaps even tension within the composition.
Subtextually, the painting seems to explore themes of knowledge, introspection, and the complexities of perception. The fragmented representation suggests a breakdown of traditional understanding, possibly reflecting a questioning of established norms or societal structures. The presence of foliage could symbolize growth, learning, or a connection to nature that is being accessed through the act of reading. The figure’s expression remains ambiguous; it is difficult to discern emotion, which contributes to an overall sense of detachment and intellectual contemplation. Ultimately, the work invites viewers to actively engage with its deconstructed forms and consider the multifaceted nature of knowledge and experience.