Portrait of woman 1942

This portrait was painted by Pablo Picasso, in France, using oil on canvas, and like much of his work, it is now held in a private collection. In Picasso’s time, the idea of traditional portraiture was being questioned. Photography could capture likeness with ease, so painting had to find new ways to represent the world. Here, we see how Picasso has moved away from literal representation. He captures the essence of his sitter through geometric shapes and abstract forms. Think about the social conditions that shaped Picasso’s art. He lived through a period of immense change, including two World Wars. His work often reflected the anxieties and uncertainties of the time. We might use historical archives to understand better how Picasso sought to challenge the artistic status quo and engage with the rapidly changing world around him. Through careful study, the art historian seeks to understand and interpret the meaning of an artwork.