1969 Vase de fleurs sur une table 2 Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1962-1973

The composition presents a still life arrangement rendered in a highly fragmented and abstracted style. A table surface is suggested by a series of angular planes that intersect diagonally across the lower portion of the canvas. These planes are delineated with thick black outlines and punctuated by circular forms, some filled with white, others left empty, creating a sense of rhythmic repetition. The color palette is dominated by greens, yellows, blacks, blues, and reds, applied in broad, expressive brushstrokes.
Dominating the central space is a vessel, presumably intended to hold flowers. Its form is deconstructed into a series of overlapping geometric shapes – cylinders, cones, and flattened planes – that defy any conventional representation of three-dimensionality. The artist has employed a limited range of colors for this object; greens and yellows suggest foliage while darker tones define its contours.
Emerging from the vessel are floral elements, depicted with an equally fractured approach. Petals in vibrant reds and blues jut out at sharp angles, their forms simplified to essential shapes. These blooms appear almost violently detached from the central container, contributing to a sense of instability and disruption. The background is treated as a pale wash, allowing the bold colors and angular lines of the foreground elements to take precedence.
The work’s subtexts revolve around themes of perception and representation. The deliberate distortion of form challenges traditional notions of beauty and realism. It suggests an interest in exploring how objects are perceived rather than simply depicting them accurately. The disjointed arrangement, with its sharp angles and contrasting colors, evokes a feeling of tension and unease. This could be interpreted as reflecting the anxieties or uncertainties of a particular historical moment, or perhaps as a commentary on the fragmentation of modern experience. There is an intentional lack of depth and perspective, flattening the space and emphasizing the two-dimensionality of the canvas itself. The overall effect is one of controlled chaos, where recognizable forms are broken down and reassembled in unexpected ways.