Printed in 1928, Picasso’s Visage de Marie-Thérèse demonstrates Picasso’s technical explorations with lithography. The viewer’s eye is initially drawn in by the cross-hatched lines at the extreme left of the image, providing a great sense of depth and contrasting with the delicately marked profile dominating the majority of the composition. Picasso’s careful depiction of Walter’s facial features is evident against the brightness of the exposed sheet, with her eye, nose and mouth being precisely rendered through a varied series of lines.
Picasso began developing his skills as a printmaker in 1904, having initially been fascinated by the possibilities of tonal variation and linework in etching. Visage de Marie-Thérèse stands as one of his early experimentations with lithography, revealing his continued interest in mark-making as well as the interplay of light and shade.
Picasso and Walter met just a year before the lithograph was created. Over the ensuing decade of their relationship, Walter became a pivotal influence on his Picasso’s work, her profile emerging as an iconic image in his visual language. This is already evident in Visage de Marie-Thérèse, as Picasso emphasises her high-bridged nose, almond eye and narrow brows – features that would later make her instantly recognisable, even in his more abstract depictions.