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Lot Essay
Picasso's style did not necesarily shift in dramatic fashion--rather, with each passing decade, he expanded his artistic language and added new discoveries to his gamut of styles. Some ideas may have lingered, unused, but they were never forgotten. In Femme dans un fauteuil, four major tenants of Picasso's career are present: cubism, classicism, expressionism and surrealism.
In the present work, the multiplicity of profiles certainly has its basis in cubism--Picasso was fascinated by the idea of condensing various perspectives within one picture plane. In his later work, the effect, as opposed to the transparent shifting planes of cubism, suggests the sculptural through fixed contours and strong contrasts of light and shadow.
The classical profile of the sitter, Jacqueline Roque, whom P icasso married in 1961, may have found a referent and analogue in Greek sculpture. Jacqueline's likeness displays a strong affinity towards the Hellenic style that Picasso exploited. In 1964 Picasso commented, "Braque once told me, 'Basically you have always loved classic beauty'. It's true. Even today that's true for me. They don't invent a type of beauty every year" (quoted in D. Ashton, Picasso on Art, New York, 1972, p. 74). During he 1930s, Picasso frequently depicted himself as a mythical, Daedelian sculptor from classical antiquity.
The present painting, with its exuberant, almost fanciful lines, illustrates Picasso's expressionist tendencies. Additionally, in Femme dans un fauteuil, Picasso's fascination with Surrealism is notable from the shadow cast on the wall. Although he only acknowledged his debt to the movement after 1933, it is clear that he was influenced by the movement prior to that date and continued to integrate surrealist elements into his work even in later years.
In this portrait Jacqueline, Picasso abandoned color and opted for grisaille--a style Picasso used frequently in his later portraits. This present work is typical of Picasso's portraits of Jacqueline, with her long dark tresses swept off her face and the multiplicity of profiles. Constituting the largest single group of portraits in his ouvre, images of Jacqueline dominate the artist's work of the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
In the present work, the multiplicity of profiles certainly has its basis in cubism--Picasso was fascinated by the idea of condensing various perspectives within one picture plane. In his later work, the effect, as opposed to the transparent shifting planes of cubism, suggests the sculptural through fixed contours and strong contrasts of light and shadow.
The classical profile of the sitter, Jacqueline Roque, whom P icasso married in 1961, may have found a referent and analogue in Greek sculpture. Jacqueline's likeness displays a strong affinity towards the Hellenic style that Picasso exploited. In 1964 Picasso commented, "Braque once told me, 'Basically you have always loved classic beauty'. It's true. Even today that's true for me. They don't invent a type of beauty every year" (quoted in D. Ashton, Picasso on Art, New York, 1972, p. 74). During he 1930s, Picasso frequently depicted himself as a mythical, Daedelian sculptor from classical antiquity.
The present painting, with its exuberant, almost fanciful lines, illustrates Picasso's expressionist tendencies. Additionally, in Femme dans un fauteuil, Picasso's fascination with Surrealism is notable from the shadow cast on the wall. Although he only acknowledged his debt to the movement after 1933, it is clear that he was influenced by the movement prior to that date and continued to integrate surrealist elements into his work even in later years.
In this portrait Jacqueline, Picasso abandoned color and opted for grisaille--a style Picasso used frequently in his later portraits. This present work is typical of Picasso's portraits of Jacqueline, with her long dark tresses swept off her face and the multiplicity of profiles. Constituting the largest single group of portraits in his ouvre, images of Jacqueline dominate the artist's work of the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.