The girls of Avignon (study)

"The girls of Avignon (study)" is an early sketch and study that explores Picasso's groundbreaking move into Cubism. Created in 1907, this painting depicts five nude prostitutes in a Barcelona brothel, portrayed with angular, disjointed body shapes that challenge conventional beauty. The figures exhibit diverse stylistic influences, including Egyptian, Iberian, and African mask-like features, reflecting Picasso's interest in ethnic primitivism. This work is considered a pivotal step toward his revolutionary style, combining elements of Cubism and Surrealism, emphasizing geometric abstraction and expressive distortion.