La femme à la fenêtre Pablo Picasso

• One of the major works in Picasso’s printmaking oeuvre and one of his greatest female portraits in print form • A depiction of his then partner Françoise Gilot, created one year before their separation • A monumental aquatint of extraordinary painterly expressiveness With the 1952 aquatint ‘La femme à la fenêtre’, Pablo Picasso created one of the most striking portraits of women in his printmaking oeuvre. Depicted is his then partner Françoise Gilot, the mother of his two children, Claude and Paloma. The motif of the woman at the window, which has a long tradition in European art history, takes on a particular psychological intensity in Picasso’s work. The subject’s introspective posture and her gaze directed outwards convey a peculiar tension between closeness and distance. Created just one year before the couple’s separation, the portrait can also be interpreted as an expression of growing alienation. Within Picasso’s extensive body of print work, ‘La femme à la fenêtre’ occupies a prominent position. The print belongs to a group of seven large-format copperplate prints created by Picasso in 1952. Whilst the remaining six works depict bullfighting and animal motifs, here the artist devotes himself exclusively to the human figure. Together with ‘L’Égyptienne’, created a year later, this work ranks among his greatest prints depicting women. The technical execution is particularly remarkable. Picasso employs the sugar aquatint technique, which allows him an exceptionally free, almost painterly approach on the copper plate. Over two successive Impressions, he further develops the composition and enhances its powerful impact through nuanced shades of grey and deep black areas. The monumental scale reinforces the figure’s presence and lends the print an expressiveness that goes far beyond the conventional dimensions of printmaking. With its combination of technical experimentation, monumental format and psychological expressiveness, ‘La femme à la fenêtre’ is regarded as one of Picasso’s most significant prints from the early 1950s. | 1881 Málaga - Mougins bei Cannes 1973 | Moderne Kunst | Druckgrafik | Nummer: 26x2420 | Provenance: Privatbesitz, USA.

Estimate:$179,636

View all items fromKarl und FaberorMiscellaneous