Picasso had known the young painter Francoise for several years when they had an affair. He kept trying to reduce the distance between them. Finally, he persuaded Francoise to move in with him, and in May 1946 she settled at the Rue des Grands Augustins. It inspirited Picasso to paint a series of portraits of Francoise — it was that spring that her image as a “flower woman” was born, which was later used in a variety of works. Interestingly, Francoise’s green hair in the portrait was inspired by Matisse. Shortly before that Picasso had acquainted her with the maestro, who decided he would create his own portrait of Francoise. Picasso was outraged – how could Matisse even dare to think of painting his model!
21 September Pascal from New York wrote: 'Like everything, you must study or practice to appreciate. If you have eaten burgers and pizza your whole life, it may be difficult to appreciate sushi.'
16 July steve from USA wrote: 'Breathtaking as everything he's ever done. Rich vibrant colors and sharp visceral angles. Picasso is a master'
28 June Nikolai from Switzerland wrote: 'The painting is certainly impressive, to say the least. But what has always struck me as curious is that none of Picasso's other works from this period are anywhere near as accomplished as this painting. It is a well known fact that at one time it was a common practice in teaching painting, for the master to repaint areas of the student's work. In the case of this painting, I cannot help but wonder how much of it might have actually been painted by Picasso's father.'
14 June Ricardo Lapin from Switzerland wrote: 'How much perversion to treat a couple as if they were an object (a model, "muse", etc.) and be indifferent to painting their suffering over and over again, for years without doing anything to help her.'
24 May byats wurnt from Switzerland wrote: 'I think, when dealing with an abstract piece, one must take an approach similar to reading.
On the right, I can see buildings, a staple of modern life.
Warm colours, may indicate heat?
There's a curtain on the left harlequin.
Now we just have to make sense of it.'
15 May Wong Tsz Hang from Switzerland wrote: 'The drawings are confusing, there are many colours mixed together and don't know what it is. And it looks unusual.'
23 April Santiago from San Diego wrote: 'Did Picasso ever draw some daises white and yellow on a window sill?'
30 March Cassandra from Scandinavia wrote: 'This in intruiguing, I am researching this painting for a school project.'
25 March Cosma from Germany wrote: ':) Look at this great picture and smile. GO PAINTIG NOT WAR'
24 February Vic from Melbourne wrote: 'Can't believe Picasso made a sculpture of Ye himself'
12 February Alan from Rochester wrote: 'Anybody know in what museum or collection HEAD OF A WOMAN WITH BLUE HAT RED RIBBON
(Tête de femme au chapeau bleu a ruban rouge), 1939 is located?'
10 February Micheal Scott from Rochester wrote: 'This says a lot about our society.'
![Woman in a chair [Figure]](images/works/1175_s.jpg "Woman in a chair [Figure]")
