The Harem

From the museum

In 1904, Pablo Picasso abandoned the cool palette and somber mood of his Blue Period (1901–4)— exemplified by La Vie of 1903—for the warmer, more sensual imagery of the Rose Period (1904–6). In the summer of 1906, he and his romantic partner Fernande Olivier visited Spain. Picasso sketched Olivier, who often served as a model for the artist, in private moments bathing and combing her hair. Such studies came to life in The Harem, Picasso’s first large-scale representation of nude figures. He added a seated man who clasps a flower in one hand and a porrón (a phallic-shaped drinking vessel) in the other. This painting dates from Picasso's Rose Period, named for the rosy pink and orange hues that dominate many of his compositions during this time. The Rose Period followed his Blue Period, and the colors are reflective of his mood. The Blue Period is connected to a period of depression following the death of his close friend Carlos Casagemas, while the happier tones of the Rose Period coincide with his happiness in his relationship with Fernande Olivier.

The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0