556 - Pablo Picasso (1881, Málaga – Mougins, near Cannes, 1973)

Pablo Picasso (1881, Málaga – Mougins, near Cannes, 1973) La femme à la fenêtre Aquatint on Arches vellum. (1952). Approx. 83 x 47.5 cm (sheet size approx. 90 x 63.5 cm). One of 50 numbered copies. Signed lower left. Published by Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris. Bloch 695; Baer 891 B b1 (from C). • One of the major works in Picasso’s printmaking oeuvre and one of his greatest print portraits of women • A portrait of his then-partner Françoise Gilot, created one year before their separation • A monumental sugar aquatint of extraordinary painterly expressiveness With the 1952 aquatint “La femme à la fenêtre,” Pablo Picasso created one of the most striking portraits of women in his body of print work. Depicted is his then-partner Françoise Gilot, the mother of his two children, Claude and Paloma. The motif of the woman at the window, which has a long tradition in European art history, takes on a special psychological intensity in Picasso’s work. The subject’s introspective posture and her gaze directed outward convey a peculiar tension between closeness and distance. Created just one year before the couple’s separation, the portrait can also be interpreted as an expression of growing estrangement. Within Picasso’s extensive body of printmaking, “La femme à la fenêtre” holds a prominent place. The print is part of a group of seven large-format copperplate engravings that Picasso created in 1952. While the remaining six works depict bullfighting and animal motifs, here the artist focuses exclusively on the human figure. Together with “L’Égyptienne,” created a year later, this work ranks among his greatest depictions of women in printmaking. The technical execution is particularly noteworthy. Picasso employs the sugar-aquatint process, which allows him an exceptionally free, almost painterly approach on the copper plate. In two successive print states, he further develops the composition and enhances its powerful impact through nuanced shades of gray and deep black areas. The monumental size reinforces the figure’s presence and lends the print an expressiveness that goes far beyond the conventional dimensions of printmaking. With its combination of technical experimentation, monumental format, and psychological expressiveness, “La femme à la fenêtre” is considered one of Picasso’s most significant works of printmaking from the early 1950s. Provenance: Private collection, USA. Taxation: subject to regular taxation (VAT: Regular Taxation).