1955 Jacqueline Roque en costume turc Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1943-1961

The composition presents a frontal portrait of a woman adorned in what appears to be elaborate Turkish attire. The figure is positioned centrally against a pale, almost monochromatic background that lacks detail and serves primarily as a neutral backdrop for the subject.
Here we see a deliberate fragmentation of form characteristic of a Cubist approach. Facial features are rendered with simplified planes and angles; the eyes are deeply set and possess an unsettling directness, while the nose is reduced to a series of geometric shapes. The mouth is a dark, almost severe line that contributes to a sense of stoicism or perhaps melancholy.
The costume itself is a significant element. It’s not depicted realistically but rather as a collection of flattened, decorative motifs in blue, red, and gold. These patterns are applied with broad brushstrokes, creating a textural richness that contrasts with the more austere rendering of the face. The head covering, particularly, dominates the upper portion of the composition, its intricate design seemingly both concealing and emphasizing the woman’s identity.
The artist employed a limited palette, dominated by earth tones – browns, grays, and creams – punctuated by the vibrant blues and golds of the costume. This restricted color range contributes to a sense of formality and restraint. The brushwork is loose and expressive, with visible strokes that add dynamism to the surface.
Subtly, there’s an interplay between concealment and revelation at work. While the elaborate costume suggests exoticism and perhaps even theatricality, the womans expression remains enigmatic, her gaze unwavering yet distant. The partial exposure of the upper chest introduces a note of vulnerability or intimacy that disrupts the formality established by the attire.
The overall effect is one of controlled tension – between tradition and modernity, representation and abstraction, concealment and revelation. It suggests a complex portrait not merely of an individual but also of cultural identity and the performance of selfhood.