Picasso, Pablo (1881-1973)
Buste de femme (Bust of a Woman)
1944
Oil on canvas, 81 × 65 cm
Tate Britain, London
This is a portrait of the artist Dora Maar. Picasso painted it in May 1944, during the final weeks of the Nazi Occupation of Paris during World War II. Deprivation and tension were high in the city. Many people faced persecution for their religion, race, sexuality or disability. This led to imprisonment or death.
Maar’s face is painted in black and white. This contrasts with the red and purple background, and the bright green of her dress. This combination of styles and colours appears to represent a complex moment of both fear and hope, when many believed the occupation of Paris might be coming to an end. (Tate)
See also:
• Maar, Dora (1907-1997)