Pablo Picasso
'Trois Femmes nues et une Coupe d’Anémones', 1933
Etching on montval laid paper
14 1/2 × 11 3/4 × 1/2 in
36.8 × 29.8 × 1.3 cm
36.8 × 29.8 × 1.3 cm
Edition of 260
Hand signed in pencil, lower right.
Copyright The Artist
Further images
Pablo Picasso's 'Trois Femmes nues et une Coupe d'Anémones' (1933) is a powerful and evocative work that captures the artist's fascination with the female form and his ongoing exploration of...
Pablo Picasso's 'Trois Femmes nues et une Coupe d'Anémones' (1933) is a powerful and evocative work that captures the artist's fascination with the female form and his ongoing exploration of abstraction during the early 1930s. The title, which translates to Three Nude Women and a Bowl of Anemones, succinctly conveys the key elements of the composition: the human body, in its raw, natural state, and a symbolic still life. This work exemplifies Picasso's ability to blend sensuality, distortion, and metaphor into a single image.
The composition centers around three nude women, each presented in a highly abstracted and fragmented manner. The figures are depicted with exaggerated curves, angularity, and disjointed proportions, which are characteristic of Picasso's style during this period. The women's bodies are not idealized or naturalistic but are transformed into an almost sculptural form, with elements of cubism and surrealism blending together. The figures are stripped down to their essential shapes and forms, reduced to basic geometric and organic components, which gives them a sense of both solidity and fluidity. They are depicted from different angles simultaneously, echoing Picasso’s Cubist approach of showing multiple perspectives at once.One of the key features of this work is the way the three figures interact with each other. They seem to form a kind of interwoven, collective whole—linked not only by their shared nudity but also through the fluidity of their shapes. There is a sense of unity in their disjointedness, as if they are simultaneously separate yet interconnected, embodying a complex relationship between the individual and the collective. Their positions suggest both a formal and intimate connection, as the overlapping forms create a dynamic composition that feels alive with energy.
In contrast to the raw energy of the figures, there is a delicate and symbolic still life element in the piece: the bowl of anemones placed beside the women. The anemones, with their vivid petals, add a burst of color to the work and create a striking juxtaposition with the earthier tones of the nudes. Anemones are often associated with fragility and fleeting beauty, and Picasso’s choice to include them could symbolize both the ephemerality of life and the tension between beauty and decay. Their presence introduces a layer of symbolism to the otherwise primal portrayal of the female form.
This work, etched during 1933—at the height of Picasso’s relationship with his muse Marie-Thérèse Walter—reflects a deeply personal and emotional exploration of the female body. Picasso was captivated by her classical beauty, which is evident in the sensuality of the figures. However, the fragmented and distorted approach to the female form also speaks to the tension between the desire for idealized beauty and the raw, visceral reality of the human body.
"Trois Femmes nues et une Coupe d'Anémones" is part of Picasso's larger body of work from this period, which often blurs the line between figuration and abstraction, reflecting the artist's search for new ways to express the complexities of life, relationships, and the human form. The print, with its dreamlike qualities and emotional depth, speaks to the artist's ongoing exploration of Surrealism, his mastery of abstraction, and his deep engagement with the psychological dimensions of his subjects.
From the Suite Vollard (S.V. 67)Edition of 260Signed by the artist in pencil, lower right(Bloch 176) (Baer 329.B.c)
The composition centers around three nude women, each presented in a highly abstracted and fragmented manner. The figures are depicted with exaggerated curves, angularity, and disjointed proportions, which are characteristic of Picasso's style during this period. The women's bodies are not idealized or naturalistic but are transformed into an almost sculptural form, with elements of cubism and surrealism blending together. The figures are stripped down to their essential shapes and forms, reduced to basic geometric and organic components, which gives them a sense of both solidity and fluidity. They are depicted from different angles simultaneously, echoing Picasso’s Cubist approach of showing multiple perspectives at once.One of the key features of this work is the way the three figures interact with each other. They seem to form a kind of interwoven, collective whole—linked not only by their shared nudity but also through the fluidity of their shapes. There is a sense of unity in their disjointedness, as if they are simultaneously separate yet interconnected, embodying a complex relationship between the individual and the collective. Their positions suggest both a formal and intimate connection, as the overlapping forms create a dynamic composition that feels alive with energy.
In contrast to the raw energy of the figures, there is a delicate and symbolic still life element in the piece: the bowl of anemones placed beside the women. The anemones, with their vivid petals, add a burst of color to the work and create a striking juxtaposition with the earthier tones of the nudes. Anemones are often associated with fragility and fleeting beauty, and Picasso’s choice to include them could symbolize both the ephemerality of life and the tension between beauty and decay. Their presence introduces a layer of symbolism to the otherwise primal portrayal of the female form.
This work, etched during 1933—at the height of Picasso’s relationship with his muse Marie-Thérèse Walter—reflects a deeply personal and emotional exploration of the female body. Picasso was captivated by her classical beauty, which is evident in the sensuality of the figures. However, the fragmented and distorted approach to the female form also speaks to the tension between the desire for idealized beauty and the raw, visceral reality of the human body.
"Trois Femmes nues et une Coupe d'Anémones" is part of Picasso's larger body of work from this period, which often blurs the line between figuration and abstraction, reflecting the artist's search for new ways to express the complexities of life, relationships, and the human form. The print, with its dreamlike qualities and emotional depth, speaks to the artist's ongoing exploration of Surrealism, his mastery of abstraction, and his deep engagement with the psychological dimensions of his subjects.
From the Suite Vollard (S.V. 67)Edition of 260Signed by the artist in pencil, lower right(Bloch 176) (Baer 329.B.c)