“Head of a Woman” by Pablo Picasso refers to five portraits of the same woman, drawn in 1921. The muse of these five portraits was his then-wife Olga Khokhlova, a Ukrainian dancer. Khokhlova did not like Picasso’s Cubist style artworks, and she demanded to be painted in a different way. During this time, the couple was staying in Fontainebleau, Italy on a family vacation. The style of these portraits was Neoclassical. His style in these portraits was inspired by where they fell in love in 1917: Rome and Naples.

The first “Head of a Woman” portrait is that’s pastel on flocked paper on board, drawn in the late summer of 1921. The only text in the drawing was his signature: “Picasso.” Naming the portrait “Head of a Woman” highlights what Picasso paid the most attention to when he was making this portrait: Khokhlova’s face, neck, and shoulders. The spotlight of the name of the artwork was put on how much a head or face can express. In February of that year, Khokhlova gave birth to their son Paul Joseph ‘Paulo.’ From this point on, Khokhlova was obsessed with their son and the celebrity lifestyle she got from being married to Picasso. This was also the peak of Picasso’s relationship with Khokhlova, meaning this was the brighter of Picasso’s portraits of Khokhlova. Picasso’s use of highlights and smooth strokes showcased a smooth, positive emotion. The bright blues, defined lines, and emphasized contrast between the shading and the highlights made me feel like he was in a relaxed mood when he painted it. The lighter colors’ concentration gave the portrait a halo effect, making Khokhlova pop as a muse. Each stroke was defined and clean, allowing the portrait to come together and each stroke to pop simultaneously. This takes attention away from the way Picasso decided to crop the art: the strokes faded out in a way that framed the portrait like a cropped oval. This way of cropping had the impression of recalling a memory, where the focus was on the subject without peripheral images. This portrait was most likely drawn for Khokhlova, as it was not drawn in Cubism but in Neoclassicism. In a sense, it felt like Picasso was trying to make a nice piece as a gift to Khokhlova at the peak of their marriage with the birth of their son. It felt like Picasso was trying to tell Khokhlova that he was proud of her giving birth to their son, almost like he was showing his appreciation for her.

The second portrait of the topic would be the portrait that’s pastel on paper on board, drawn in September 1921. The only text in the drawing seemed to be the title, date, and Picasso’s signature: “Picasso Tete de femme 1921.” This portrait was placed after the one mentioned above, so the emphasis on the expression of her face and head was still fresh. During this time, Khokhlova was still up and about for the celebrity lifestyle and obsession with their son. Picasso’s love for Khokhlova seemed to have cooled down, painting a less positive portrait. This portrait had Khokhlova’s head tilted more, seemingly sad and contemplating. The strokes seemed less elegant and thicker, showcasing a sense of frenzy and unhappiness. There were fewer highlights and it seemed to have a bigger emphasis on the shadows. The frame and crop were the same: it still seemed like a memory. This portrait seemed more for Picasso himself rather than for Khokhlova. The bottom of the portrait had zigzags, and the finish became increasingly incomplete. There seemed to be more of a depressing feeling when Picasso was making this portrait.

In the Picasso Fontainebleau exhibit, the series of portraits were placed next to each other in chronological order. The progress seemed to be increasingly optimistic and brighter up until the last portrait: “Head of a Woman” September 1921. The last two portraits were the two mentioned, hence highlighting the differences. As the first portrait mentioned seemed to be the peak of Picasso and Khokhlova’s marriage, the second portrait seemed to be the endgame of Picasso’s expectations and love for Khokhlova.