Hera 

Francis Picabia's painting, "Hera," presents us with a complex layering of faces and flora, characteristic of his later, more figurative style. In this period, following his Dadaist beginnings, Picabia turned to a style that provocatively combined classical and popular imagery, often playing with notions of beauty and representation. The title, “Hera,” immediately invokes the powerful Greek goddess of marriage, yet the painting veers away from traditional representations of mythological figures. Instead, we find a multiplicity of faces, seemingly dissolving into one another amidst a screen of flowers and foliage. This layering effect has a deeply personal aspect, perhaps reflecting on the multifaceted nature of female identity, or even on the artist's own shifting perspectives and roles. Picabia once said, "Our heads are round so that thoughts can change direction." This quote encapsulates the fluidity and changeability that he seems to capture here. "Hera" invites us to consider how identity is constructed and perceived, both in art and in life. The work challenges us to look beyond surface appearances, into the complex emotional and historical layers that shape our understanding of self and other.