![Pablo Picasso - Painter and Model [1963]](http://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5481/31286494922_cc8c3a00b6_b.jpg)
The motif of the female nude fascinated Picasso throughout his career, and in the present work he sets her stark white figure against a lavishly-coloured background and accentuates the curves of her body. In various periods of his work, Picasso’s art was closely related to his personal life and the women depicted in his paintings were always influenced by Picasso’s female companions at the time. In this painting, the female figure is inspired by Jacqueline, the last love of his life, whom Picasso married in 1961. Although she is not a direct likeness of Jacqueline, with her characteristic hairstyle, she bears the features with which Picasso usually portrayed his last muse. The essence of Jacqueline, who never formally posed as Picasso’s model, is always present in his portraits of this period, including the present work.
[Sotheby’s, New York - Oil on canvas, 130 x 162 cm]