Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
La Femme à l'orange – (Woman With Orange), or La Femme à la pomme – (Woman With Apple)

The inspiration for this cast bronze sculpture, constructed at Picasso’s Boisgeloup workshop, came from an assortment of scrap materials and objects. Its head has been modelled on a box pierced with holes to represent the eyes and mouth, while its ruff is the imprint of a cake mould. The arms are held in an arabesque, with one hand holding a “vase” in the form of a bed warmer, and the other clutching a round object which is variously interpreted as an orange or an apple. The sinuous lines of the arms could represent the branches of a tree, or else the movement of a snake. This trinity of tree, snake and apple have led some to interpret the figure as a modern portrayal of Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Picasso Pablo (dit), Ruiz Picasso Pablo (1881-1973)
© Succession Picasso 2017
Localisation : Paris, musée Picasso
Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Picasso de Paris) / Béatrice Hatala