Girl before a Mirror

Girl before a Mirror was created by Pablo Picasso in 1932 as an oil on canvas artwork. Picasso's mistress and muse, Marie-Thérèse Walter, is seen standing in front of a mirror, staring at her reflection. Picasso painted Marie-Thérèse several times during the 1930s. His photographs of her from 1932 were the first public display of their hidden passion while he was married to Olga Khokhlova.

The year 1932 shaped Picasso's creative career. At this stage in his life, he had turned 50 and had established himself as a notable artist. Picasso curated a retrospective exhibition of his work at Galerie Georges Petit in 1932, which was unusual for an artist, and even more unexpectedly, Picasso took care of the curating.

Girl before a Mirror is a snapshot of a woman looking in the mirror, presenting a darker version of herself. The woman's face has been divided into two sections, one in a soothing lavender tint and the other in a vivid yellow. Girl before a Mirror depicts her on the left side as lovely and make-up-free, while on the right side her face is darker, her eyes are wide and hollow, and her very feminine form is twisted and contorted. The painting is well-known for its numerous interpretations. Some critics believe it represents Walter's day-self and her night-self. Others interpret it as Walter confronting her death by glancing in the mirror, which foreshadows her final fate. It could also refer to her transformation from a young girl unaware of her sexuality to a mature lady knowledgeable of her own sexuality.

Year: 1932