The artwork “Sleeper near the shutters” was crafted by the illustrious Pablo Picasso in 1936, a period that saw him engaged with the Surrealism movement. The painting measures 54 centimeters in height and 65 centimeters in width and is considered a genre painting, which portrays scenes of everyday life.
In the artwork, there is a depiction of a sleeping figure, vividly portrayed with the distinctive fragmented and distorted forms commonly associated with Picasso’s style. The figure is positioned near what appears to be shutters, suggested by the linear patterns reminiscent of slats in the background. These shutters could be referencing the threshold between reality and the dream world, appropriate for the surrealistic approach of the artist. The color palette is somewhat muted with blues and greens dominating, contributing to the somnolent ambiance of the scene. The features of the sleeper are portrayed with bold, fluid lines, adding an intimate and emotional resonance to the piece. The composition is compact, with the subject closely enveloped by the surrounding elements, which may signify the inner psychological landscape that Surrealism is often keen to explore.
