Femme aux Bras Croisés
Encyclopedia
Femme aux Bras Croisés (Woman with Folded Arms), is a painting by Pablo Picasso
done in 1902 during his Blue Period
. The subject of the painting is unknown, but she may be an inmate of the Saint-Lazare hospital-prison in Paris.
In her book Pablo Picasso, Antonina Vallentin devotes a great deal of time to writing about the haunting qualities of this painting. She describes her views of the subject as an inmate, who recently attempted suicide and now carries the blank but menacing stare of those unfortunates who found themselves at Saint-Lazare during the early 1900s.
originally bought the painting from Picasso. From 1936 it was in the collection of the family of Chauncey McCormick
, who lent it to the Art Institute of Chicago
.
In 2000 it sold in auction at Christie's
, New York, for more than US$55 million.
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
done in 1902 during his Blue Period
Blue Period
The Blue Period is a term used to define to the works produced by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso between 1901 and 1904, when he painted essentially monochromatic paintings in shades of blue and blue-green, only occasionally warmed by other colors...
. The subject of the painting is unknown, but she may be an inmate of the Saint-Lazare hospital-prison in Paris.
In her book Pablo Picasso, Antonina Vallentin devotes a great deal of time to writing about the haunting qualities of this painting. She describes her views of the subject as an inmate, who recently attempted suicide and now carries the blank but menacing stare of those unfortunates who found themselves at Saint-Lazare during the early 1900s.
Ownership history
Gertrude SteinGertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
originally bought the painting from Picasso. From 1936 it was in the collection of the family of Chauncey McCormick
Chauncey McCormick
Chauncey Brooks McCormick was an American businessman and art collector in the McCormick family.-Life:His mother was Eleanor Brooks, daughter of Walter Brooks of Baltimore....
, who lent it to the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
.
In 2000 it sold in auction at Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
, New York, for more than US$55 million.