“Self Portrait Facing Death” by Pablo Picasso, is a painting created in 1972, which depicts a self portrait of Pablo Picasso himself. Notably, this is the last self portrait Picasso drew before his death in 1973.
The main focus of this painting is the expression that Pablo Picasso draws of himself. Focusing on Picasso’s eyes, a fearful expression renders due to the size difference in the pupils, giving off a desperate look as if he is looking for help. The beard and sagging eye bags emphasize that Picasso has experienced significant aging. Perhaps, Picasso is afraid of death in itself, as he looks afar with no focus, inferring that he sees no more future, which is what he fears.
The color palette of this painting consists of hues of blue and a hint of pink. Blue often symbolizes feelings of coldness and sadness. Picasso represents himself with colors of blue, as he is nearing the end of his life, to which he feels no optimism in living life and is dispirited by the thought that he can no longer remain as a living being. The color blue is also correlated with traits of rotting, which is well incorporated into his self portrait, as age “decays” himself. Pink often represents affection and inner peace. Picasso could be referring to how, although he is afraid of death, he has, to a small extent, reached consensus with the fact that he can not do anything to prevent his death and that he accepts that he is near the end of this journey. There is also a hint of pink in Picasso’s eyes. This may represent how he has reached peace within himself and peace with the thought of what happens in the after life, as the only thing that greets him in the future is the afterlife.
Noticing how the background has nothing but the color white, Picasso may be putting emphasis on himself and his feelings in the current moment. To him, there is nothing left to focus on but himself and how he leaves this world as he pleases.
