The artwork titled “Woman washing her feet,” created by the renowned artist Pablo Picasso in 1944, is a pencil on paper drawing that exemplifies the genre painting tradition. Although Picasso is frequently associated with Cubism, this work is identified with the Surrealism movement, which often delved into the uncanny and subconscious aspects of human experience.
The artwork depicts a woman engaged in the intimate act of washing her feet, suggestive of daily routines and personal hygiene. The focus on this mundane activity is rendered with a sense of immediacy and candidness, a characteristic of genre painting that seeks to show real-life scenarios. Picasso’s use of pencil on paper allows for great detail and texture, which is evident in the skilful shading and nuanced line work. The figure is rendered with a degree of distortion—typical of Picasso’s style—which adds an element of psychological complexity to the scene. The woman’s posture is bent and concentrated, suggesting a moment of solitude and self-care, themes that transcend the specific period or movement associated with the artist.
