Famous Portraits of Artists’ Lovers

Almost as famous a lover as an artist, Pablo Picasso had several lifetimes’ worth of romantic partners, each of whom left a mark on his work. His 1932 portrait of Marie-Thérèse Walter (on the left)—who was just 17 when she and Picasso began their relationship in 1927—shows the young woman lost in a contented reverie while inviting the viewer’s gaze with a knowing smile. In the following decade, Picasso’s style shifted away from classicizing curves toward an angular geometry, as shown in a portrait of Dora Maar (on the right) from 1944.  The arresting, direct gaze of Dora in Femme en vert (Dora) contrasts sharply with the portrait of a dozing Marie-Thérèse. Maar, who became involved with Picasso in 1935, was a photographer, poet, and painter in her own right. She is reputed to have commanded a place as Picasso’s intellectual equal and artistic partner during their time together.

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