The artwork “Man with straw hat” by the renowned artist Pablo Picasso was created in 1938. This piece is an epitome of Picasso’s explorations in the Surrealist movement, which is evident in its execution. The medium used for this portrait is oil on canvas, with dimensions measuring 61 x 50 cm. The artwork is categorized under the genre of portraiture, reflecting the artist’s unique perception and stylization of the human form.
The surrealistic portrayal in the artwork displays a figure adorned with a straw hat. The face is characterized by a fragmented and abstract approach, with disjointed elements that seem to defy conventional perspectives. Typical of Picasso’s style, facial features such as the eyes, nose, and mouth are not where one would expect them to be, challenging the observer’s perception of reality. The background is rendered in darker tones with a burst of brightness to one side, possibly indicating a source of light. The facial features are boldly outlined and filled with contrasting colors and patterns that create a sense of depth and texture. Despite the fragmentation, there’s a harmony within the composition, emphasizing the artist’s skill in balancing dissonance and unity. The artwork’s genre as a portrait is reaffirmed through this idiosyncratic representation of a human figure, albeit through Picasso’s distinctive surrealist technique.
