Portrait de femme 1942

Pablo Picasso painted this 'Portrait de Femme' sometime in the mid-20th century, using oil on canvas. It presents us with an intriguing puzzle about the public role of art. Picasso was working in a European society that was recovering from war and dealing with many social changes. If we consider those social conditions, we can see that Picasso challenges the traditional roles of women. The image creates meaning through visual codes such as the woman’s fragmented form, which is at odds with traditional portraiture. To truly understand this piece, one must delve into the social and institutional histories of art. In archives and period publications, we might find clues to the meaning of the portrait and appreciate how the value of art is always contingent on social context.