Head in Profile (Marie-Thérèse)

‘One of a series of thirteen related profiles of Marie-Thérèse Walter (1909-1977), this monotype of 1933 is both abstract and realistic. Like the gargantuan plaster heads of her that Picasso sculpted in Boisgeloup, the exaggerated features here, especially the high-bridged nose extending into the forehead, are uniquely identifiable with Marie-Thérèse. The portrait, rendered by the unique printing technique, is intimate and engaging; its sculptural aspects suggest and embody Marie-Thérèse’s presence. In the monotype, her beauty has been simplified, expressed by a few single elements, and yet her face retains its individuality and mysterious allure. Likewise, each of the related works from this series, created from December 1932 to January 1933, also show Marie-Thérèse’s face in a similar manner from the right side, depicting her in full profile.

As with all monotypes, the process is most successful for a single impression. (Two or more impressions of monotypes can be obtained, as Picasso sometimes attempted, however, the results can be highly unpredictable and weak.) Here, the unique impression has resulted in the freshness of the image and the rich, almost tactile variations in tone apparent in the subject’s eye, mouth, and neck, where the ink is the most dense. The print exudes sensuality, perhaps due to the single contact of ink and paper. The slight definition of the cheeks create the volume and roundness of the model’s head. Near her mouth, the flat, brushlike vertical lines of the background accentuate her soft, curved features and set the profile in further relief. The face, with its oversized, almost abstract features, is simple yet powerful. The monotype was pulled by the artist himself on handmade paper’.

Text: GIMÉNEZ, Carmen (ed). Museo Picasso Málaga Collection. Malaga: Museo Picasso Málaga, 2003, pp. 451-452.