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The Harem

Spring-summer 1906
(Spanish, 1881–1973)
Spain, 20th century
oil and pencil on canvas
Framed: 174 x 130.5 x 11.4 cm (68 1/2 x 51 3/8 x 4 1/2 in.); Unframed: 154.3 x 110 cm (60 3/4 x 43 5/16 in.); Former: 163.2 x 120 x 6.1 cm (64 1/4 x 47 1/4 x 2 3/8 in.)
Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna Jr. 1958.45
© Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Location: 004 Special Exhibition Gallery
Copyright
This artwork is known to be under copyright.

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Did You Know?

This painting dates from Picasso's Rose Period, named for the rosy pink and orange hues that dominate many of his compositions during this time. The Rose Period followed his Blue Period, and the colors are reflective of his mood. The Blue Period is connected to a period of depression following the death of his close friend Carlos Casagemas, while the happier tones of the Rose Period coincide with his happiness in his relationship with Fernande Olivier.

Description

Picasso painted this composition in the village of Gósol in the Spanish Pyrenees. The woman standing in the center combing her hair is based on sketches of his model and romantic partner, Fernande Olivier, combing her hair and bathing. During this period Picasso experimented with unusual media and techniques, here seen in the application of extremely thin layers of color. Upon returning to Paris that fall, he began work on Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, one of his most notorious and experimental paintings, which also depicts a group of nude women in an interior.
The Harem

The Harem

Spring-summer 1906

Pablo Picasso

(Spanish, 1881–1973)
Spain, 20th century

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