1937 Portrait de Dora Maar 5 Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1931-1942

The composition presents a seated figure rendered in a fractured and angular style. The subjects gaze is directed towards the viewer, yet her expression conveys a sense of melancholy or introspection. A strand of dark hair falls across her cheek, partially obscuring the profile. Her features are distorted; the eyes are disproportionately large and set deep within the face, while the nose is elongated and flattened. The mouth appears thin and downturned, contributing to an overall impression of sadness.
The artist employed a palette dominated by greens, yellows, reds, and blacks, applied in broad, flat planes that emphasize the two-dimensionality of the work. These colors are not used naturalistically but rather to convey emotional intensity. A vibrant green detail emerges from beneath the subject’s blouse, drawing attention to her torso and creating a visual disruption within the composition. The clothing itself is rendered with sharp, geometric lines, further contributing to the fragmented feel.
The figure sits in what appears to be a chair or on a seat of some kind, which is also constructed from angular forms and contrasting colors. Behind the subject, a backdrop of vertical lines suggests an interior space – perhaps a windowed room – but this area lacks detail and serves primarily as a visual foil for the figure’s presence. The perspective is flattened, denying any sense of depth or spatial recession.
Subtly, theres a feeling of confinement conveyed by the rigid geometry and limited color range. The subject’s posture, with her hand resting on her chin in a gesture of contemplation or perhaps weariness, reinforces this impression. It suggests an internal struggle or a state of emotional vulnerability. The disjointed nature of the figure’s form could be interpreted as a visual representation of psychological fragmentation or distress. The overall effect is one of intense observation and a probing exploration of human emotion through a highly stylized aesthetic.