The artwork entitled “Woman with yellow hat (Jacqueline)” was created by the eminent artist Pablo Picasso in 1961. Picasso, a leading figure in the art world, crafted this portrait within the artistic domain of Surrealism, a movement characterized by the release of the creative potential of the unconscious mind. The piece depicts a portrait, which is a genre known for representing an individual.
The artwork presents a striking portrayal of a female subject, presumably Jacqueline, one of Picasso’s muses and second wife, characterized by bold color contrasts and a composition that eschews traditional representational techniques. The subject’s visage is a complex interplay of shapes and planes, with the titular yellow hat adding a vibrant highlight against the more subdued background. Picasso’s use of fluid, curvilinear lines and fragmented facial features indicates a departure from the literal depiction of reality, leaning into the surreal and abstracted elements that define his later works. The portrait encompasses multiple perspectives within a single plane, inviting the viewer to interpret the subject’s psychological landscape as much as her physical appearance.