“Bather opening a cabin” is an artwork by Pablo Picasso, completed in 1928. This piece, which is an oil on canvas, is part of the Surrealism art movement. It measures 32.8 by 22 cm and is categorized in the nude painting (nu) genre. The artwork is part of the collection at the Musée Picasso in Paris, France.
The artwork depicts a nude figure posed in a manner suggesting the action of opening a cabin door. This figure is stylized with the characteristic distorted form typical of Picasso’s later works, blending abstraction with figurative elements. A sense of depth is created by the overlay of shapes and the contrast between the figure and the cabin elements. This is emphasized by the use of bold colors—prominently orange against the blue background—that further the surreal and dreamlike quality that Picasso was known for during this period. The minimal facial features on the figure, with just enough detail to convey an expression, reflect the artist’s continued experimentation with representation and his break from traditional portraiture. The simplified and abstracted human form, a departure from realism, is underscored by the flatness of color and the stark, almost primitive lines, illustrating Picasso’s innovative explorations into what would inform much of 20th-century art.
