1946 Chouette dans un intВrieur Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1943-1961

The composition presents a fragmented interior space, dominated by geometric forms and a restricted palette of greys, browns, and ochre. A chair occupies a significant portion of the left side of the canvas; its structure is deconstructed into planes, suggesting multiple viewpoints simultaneously. The backrest appears to curve inward, while the seat is rendered with diagonal striations that create an illusion of depth and texture.
To the right of the chair, a dark form – likely representing an owl – is positioned against a backdrop of angular shapes. This creature’s face is simplified into large, round eyes and a triangular beak, conveying a sense of watchful stillness or perhaps even melancholy. The owls presence disrupts the spatial logic of the scene, seeming both integrated within and detached from the surrounding environment.
The background itself is not depicted as a continuous space but rather as a series of intersecting planes that create an ambiguous depth. A table surface, rendered in warm ochre tones, extends diagonally across the right side of the canvas, further contributing to the sense of spatial disorientation. A thin, dark line bisects this plane, adding another layer of visual complexity.
The overall effect is one of deliberate distortion and abstraction. The artist seems less interested in representing a realistic interior than in exploring the possibilities of form and perspective. This fragmentation could be interpreted as reflecting a psychological state – a sense of alienation or displacement – or perhaps as an attempt to capture the multifaceted nature of perception itself. The owl, with its symbolic associations of wisdom and nocturnal observation, might represent introspection or a silent witness to the fractured reality depicted within the scene. The limited color range reinforces this mood of quiet contemplation and understated emotional weight.