1937 La femme qui pleure au foulard Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1931-1942

The drawing presents a fragmented portrait of a woman, rendered in stark black lines and punctuated by touches of blue and pink. The composition is dominated by a profile view, though it is distorted and rearranged according to principles that prioritize emotional expression over realistic representation. The face is elongated, the features abstracted and displaced; the eye socket appears as an empty void, while the mouth is open in what could be interpreted as either a sob or a silent scream.
A prominent vertical line descends from the area around one eye, terminating in a small circle at the lower edge of the composition. This element draws attention to the implied flow of tears and contributes to the overall sense of anguish. The blue markings near the hair suggest strands falling across the face, further emphasizing a state of distress.
Scattered around the head are groupings of short, sharp lines that resemble arrows or shards of glass. These elements introduce a visual violence into the image, suggesting not only emotional pain but also external forces inflicting harm. They disrupt the surface and create a sense of instability. The placement seems deliberate, as if these marks are embedded within the woman’s very being.
The artist employed a limited palette, relying primarily on black to define form and outline, with subtle additions of blue and pink to highlight specific areas. This restricted color range reinforces the somber mood and contributes to the drawings starkness. The background is left largely untouched, allowing the focus to remain entirely on the figure’s suffering.
The work conveys a palpable sense of grief and trauma. Beyond the immediate depiction of sorrow, there are hints of broader societal anxieties. The fragmented nature of the portrait might allude to the disintegration of identity under duress, while the violent markings could symbolize the destructive forces at play in the world. It is an exploration of vulnerability and pain, rendered through a vocabulary of distortion and symbolic imagery.