Woman with Green Hat

In 1935, Picasso met Dora Maar, a young Surrealist photographer, during a tme of personal turmoil. The artist has just divorced his wife Olga, his mistress Marie-Thérèse had just given birth to his daughter, Maya, and he was struggling with his artistic focus. Maar served as a key figure in the artist’s life as his companion, model, and mistress both before and during World War II. Often in Picasso’s artwork, Maar’s face is highly distorted. She is also often shown weeping, perhaps the result of their tumultuous relationship. Woman with Green Hat is an anomaly within that dynamic. The sculptural form of the head pays homage to the artist’s interest in the art of non-Western cultures, while Maar’s wistful expression in her eyes, and the combination of grayish blue and pink of her complexion suggest Picasso’s former Rose Period (1904–06).
SKU: 17579
Creator: Pablo Picasso
Date: 1939
Original Medium: Oil on canvas
Original Size: 25 5/8 x 19 3/4 in.
Location: Phillips Collection
© Succession Picasso 2014