Woman with Yellow Hair (Femme aux cheveux jaunes)

Picasso met Marie-Thérèse Walter, the subject of this portrait, in 1927 when the girl was only 17 years old. The two began a very intense love affair; however, were forced to concealed it for their own well-being from the public for many years (she was a teenager and the artist was married). By 1931, Picasso’s young lover’s voluptuous body and blonde hair were explicitly referenced in countless works. Marie-Thérèse became a muse and constant subject for Picasso, often shown reading, gazing into a mirror, sleeping; intimate depictions. A single, curved line delineating her profile became an emblem of the her, appearing in numerous sculptures, prints, and paintings.
SKU: 6062
Creator: Pablo Picasso
Date: December 1931
Original Medium: oil on canvas
Original Size: 39 3/8 x 31 7/8 in.
Location: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
© Succession Picasso 2011