The artwork “Woman reading” is a creation of the renowned artist Pablo Picasso, completed in the year 1935. Crafted using oil on canvas, this piece exemplifies the genre painting style within the Surrealism art movement. The dimensions of this notable work measure 161.5 by 129.5 cm. Currently, the painting is housed in the Musée Picasso in Paris, France, where it contributes to the rich tapestry of Picasso’s legacy and to the wider narrative of art history.
The artwork presents a stylized depiction of a figure engaged in reading. Composed of bold colors and fragmented geometric shapes, it is emblematic of the surrealist and cubist tendencies that mark Picasso’s oeuvre during this period. An interplay of light and shadow gives depth to the scene, and the presence of a table with open books and a fruit suggests the stillness and intimacy of a private moment. The geometric abstraction distorts and refracts the form, inviting viewers to reassemble the scene in their minds. Despite the surreal rendering, the act of reading creates a nexus between the observer and the subject, a silent dialogue connecting the real with the imagined.