Untitled 1938

This "Untitled" oil on canvas, was painted by Pablo Picasso in 1938. Picasso made this portrait during a time of great personal and political turmoil. As Europe edged closer to war, his personal life was also fraught with the complexities of multiple relationships. The sitter is Dora Maar, Picasso’s lover and muse, here we can see a fragmented rendering of her face, capturing the emotional and psychological complexity of their relationship. Picasso represents her at an angle so we can see all sides of her face, the multiple perspectives conveying the multifaceted nature of her personality. In representing Dora, Picasso challenges traditional notions of beauty and representation, instead creating a more complex, fragmented, and emotionally charged image. As Picasso once said, "I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them." This work reflects the tension of that pre-war moment and the intimacy between artist and sitter. It reflects the shifting identities that define us all.