Portrait of Françoise, dressed in a suit

This is one of Picasso’s most lyrical portraits of Françoise Gilot. Picasso met Françoise in 1946; the two were first pulled together through art, eventually falling in love. Their affair lasted nearly a decade, but the relationship was quite complicated: the artist could feel constant affection only towards his muse; however, it was Françoise who walked out on him. After realizing that the best moments the two shared were finished, Françoise ended her relationship with Picasso and became the only woman who left him on her own; an anomaly within his record of relationships. The consistency of lines and the composition of the painting are especially intricate. One particular detail is her hair: loose and curly, representing the temper of the woman portrayed.
SKU: 6578
Creator: Pablo Picasso
Date: c. 1946
Original Medium: drypoint
Original Size: 27 1/4 x 19 3/8 in.
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
© Succession Picasso 2011