Head of a Woman, Face and Profile (Tête de Femme, Face et Profil) from Picasso dessins

Head of a Woman, Face and Profile (Tête de Femme, Face et Profil) from Picasso dessins is a significant lithograph created by Pablo Picasso in 1925 and published the following year. This Spanish work exemplifies the artist's exploration of fragmented and simultaneous perspectives, characteristic of his post-Cubist output during the mid-1920s. As a print, the work features an intense study of a single female subject, rendered through overlapping contours and simplified geometric forms. Picasso created the piece during a transitional period, balancing the formal deconstruction developed during Cubism with a return to classical figurative drawing, particularly evident in the clarity and precision of the line work.

The subject is depicted through a graphic strategy that merges the direct front face with a complete profile. This simultaneous viewing allows Picasso to capture the dimensionality and psychological complexity of the human head without relying on traditional volumetric shading. Created in 1925, the work precedes the full intensity of the Surrealist movement that would soon dominate Picasso’s imagery, yet it already displays a subtle tension achieved through the juxtaposition of opposing facial views. The medium of lithography emphasizes the spontaneous quality of the drawing, using the inherent economy of line to focus the viewer entirely on the structural relationship between the eye, nose, and mouth in their dual presentation.

This influential work from 1925, published 1926, is essential for understanding the Spanish master’s evolving approach to figuration. As part of the Picasso dessins series, the piece illustrates Picasso’s profound commitment to mastering graphic and print techniques alongside his prolific output in painting and sculpture. The enduring quality of these prints ensures their importance in the study of Modern Art. Head of a Woman, Face and Profile is currently held in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), ensuring its continued preservation and academic study.