Three Women at the Spring

Three Women at the Spring, painted by Pablo Picasso in 1921, is a monumental oil on canvas work representative of the artist’s Neoclassical period. Created during the summer of 1921 while Picasso was staying in Fontainebleau, this Spanish masterwork marks a pronounced return to stable figurative representation following his earlier explorations in Cubism. The piece embodies the classical ideal, characterized by heavy forms, muted earth tones, and a deliberate sense of stability, reflecting the rappel à l'ordre (call to order) prevalent in European arts following the First World War.

The composition features three colossal, generalized female figures positioned around a water source, evoking classical imagery of the Three Graces or Roman bathers, themes Picasso explored often during this decade. The figures are rendered with simplified, smooth contours and heavy musculature, giving them an almost sculptural quality, a technique distinct from the fragmented surfaces of his earlier output. Picasso employed a robust application of oil paint, lending the canvas significant physical presence. This monumental scale emphasizes the weight and solidity of the women, transforming the ordinary act of gathering water into a timeless, enduring ritual.

This particular era of Picasso’s output, specifically his time spent in Fontainebleau in the summer of 1921, often utilized mythological themes imbued with contemporary gravity. The focus on strong line and volumetric forms solidified the artist's reputation as a multifaceted genius capable of mastering diverse styles. Today, the painting is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. Though the original is a highly protected institutional asset, high-quality prints and critical analyses of this key period are widely accessible, with some older material having entered the public domain.