Image: Bührle Collection / Public Domain
View source →Italian Woman
Pablo Picasso, 1917
Technical Details
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
149.9 × 101.1 cm (59 × 39.8 in)
Style
Neoclassicism
Decade
1910s
About This Work
Italian Woman is one of the first works of Picasso's Neoclassical period, painted during his visit to Rome and Naples with the Ballets Russes in 1917. The monumental figure — a peasant woman in traditional Italian dress — is rendered with a simplicity and grandeur that recalls ancient Roman sculpture. The painting marks a decisive turn away from Cubism toward a more classical, figurative style.
Picasso traveled to Rome in 1917 to design sets and costumes for the Ballets Russes production of Parade. The visit had a profound impact on his art — he was overwhelmed by the ancient sculpture and Renaissance painting he encountered, and Italian Woman is the first fruit of this encounter.
Current Location
Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection, Zurich, Switzerland
Public Collection — Open to visitors
Visit museum website →Valuation & Provenance
2026 Estimated Value
$50–80 million (est.)
* Estimates are based on comparable auction results and market analysis. Not a formal appraisal.
Last Known Sale
No public auction record — held in permanent museum collection
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