Françoise Gilot was both Picasso's lover and artistic muse during their ten year relationship (1943-1953). She was just 21 years old when they met in Paris and despite their 40 year age gap, Picasso was consumed by Gilot; her vitality and distinguished beauty were what most attracted him to her after he had grown tired of his previous mistress, Dora Maar. When depicting Gilot, Picasso relished in taking her striking features and transforming them from a true likeness to a simplified abstraction to encourage the viewer to focus on her state of mind rather than her surface beauty. The women in Picasso's life have always played an important role in his creative expression, whether that be in an emotional or erotic dimension, the tumultuous nature of his relationships were a vital influence to his artistic process.

Lithograph, 1946, on Arches watermarked wove paper, signed by the artist in pencil, inscribed 'epreuve d'artiste', an artist's proof (Mourlot calls for five proofs), aside from the edition of 50, printed by Mourlot, Paris, 65 x 50 cm. (25½ x 19¾ in.)

Mourlot 46; Bloch 402.