“Spanish Night” by Francis Picabia, created in 1922, is a notable piece from the Dada art movement. The artwork, rendered in oil on canvas, spans dimensions of 186 x 150 cm and is categorized under the figurative genre. It currently resides in a private collection.
The artwork presents a stark contrast between light and dark, with two juxtaposed figures standing against a divided black-and-white background. On the left, a silhouette in deep black suggests a person with one arm raised, directing attention toward the other figure. The right side contrasts sharply through a starkly white, almost abstracted, and nude female form featuring circular, concentric targets superimposed on the chest and pelvic area. The monochromatic interplay combined with the symbolic target imagery invokes themes of duality, contrast, and perhaps deeper commentary on objectification and identity. The minimal use of color beyond the targets emphasizes the bold stylistic choices common within the Dada movement, compelling the viewer to delve into the conceptual underpinnings of Picabia’s work.