The artwork known as “Women of Algiers” is a distinguished painting by the prominent artist Pablo Picasso, completed in the year 1955. This oil on canvas piece is often associated with the Surrealism movement, and it is categorized within the genre painting tradition. As of the latest available information, the artwork resides within a private collection.
The artwork exemplifies Picasso’s distinctive abstract style, showcasing fragmented and reassembled forms that suggest a sense of depth and multiple viewpoints—a hallmark of Cubism, which Picasso co-founded and which had a significant influence on his work even as he ventured into other movements such as Surrealism. It portrays a group of women, fragmented and represented in a flat, two-dimensional space with various intersecting planes and shapes. The palette is dominated by a contrast of vibrant and muted colors, further emphasizing the disjointed representation of the figures and their environment. The painting reflects a modernist reinterpretation of the harem genre, challenging traditional perspectives and creating a new visual language to represent the subject.