Dora Maar, Surrealism and how it inspires

Throughout history women have been the object for man’s art, this is the same case for Dora Maar and Pablo Picasso. Dora Maar served Picasso as a model for many of his abstract and surrealist paintings, some of which are displayed below. However, women have more to offer than just being the subject for viewers. Dora Maar has quite the reputation apart from her popularity from Picasso. She is a well renowned photographer, depicting a surrealist side of our world pushing back against realism. Her photography can show a variety of topics, ranging from creatures with repulsive qualities, to the poverty seen among people less fortunate. Maar opened her own studio where she created some of her most memorable photomontages.

But who was Dora Maar apart from Picasso? The unique work and character of Dora Maar (1907-1997) have made her one of the most fascinating and fruitful subjects of recent research on the history of photography. Too often identified merely as Pablo Picasso’s muse and partner, Dora Maar had a variety to offer to society. After her death her work was dispersed through auctions and can be found at numerous institutions and private collections. Her accomplishments add to the discovery for both the public and art world. She contributed to Picasso in many ways, not just by modeling for him, but by educating him on both photography and politics.

Pablo Picasso, Dora Maar in an Armchair, 1939, Oil on Canvas, 28 7/8 × 23 3/4 in.

(73.3 × 60.3 cm), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, 1998.23

Just one of many of the portraits that Pablo Picasso painted of Dora Maar. As we normally see, Dora Maar is seen as distorted and abstracted. This form of surrealism really depicts Picasso’s idea of art. At the time, people would be able to easily recognize Dora Maar to be the woman pictured, despite the abstractness that is represented, just based on her popularity. We can tell that this painting was painted in a hotel room based on the wallpaper, specifically the Hôtel du Tigre.

Pablo Picasso, Dora Maar in a Wicker Chair, 1938, Ink, charcoal, and pastel

on paper, 30 1/2 × 22 1/2 in. (77.5 × 57.2 cm), The Metropolitan Museum of Art,

New York, New York, 1999.363.70

Famous for its striking hues and abstract shapes, the picture highlights Picasso's distinct style and his nuanced connection with Maar. Different from previously seen renindentions of Maar, the materials used within Dora Maar in a Wicker Chair shows us the vastness of Picasso’s abilities in how it is tied to the similarities seen among the paintings of Dora Maar. Very similar to how Dora Maar wanted to display her art, Picasso also displayed the idea of surrealism through his paintings of Maar.

Dora Maar au Chat, 1941 by Pablo Picasso, Oil on Canvas, 128.3 cm × 95.3 cm (50.5 in × 37.5 in),

Private Collection, 

Another representation of Dora Maar by Pablo Picasso sees Maar in a similar position as seen before, yet this time having more objects involved in the narrative. The addition of the cat to the painting. In addition to the cat, the hat on top of Dora Maar shows us how because of her status, Maar most likely had a deep wardrobe with many options. The way Maar is seated can be found very similar to many pagan goddesses seated at their thrones.

Weeping Woman, Pablo Picasso, 1937, Oil paint on canvas, 600 x 500 mm, Tate

Modern, London, England, T05010

The Weeping Woman is also depicting Dora Maar, yet again as an abstracted and disfigured character. The crying symbolizes some of the emotions that were brought forth because of the Spanish Civil War. Picasso wants us to imagine ourselves as the crying individual. This set of paintings were very emotional and personal to Picasso, so using Dora Maar shows us how close their bond was. Because of Dora Maar and Picasso’s relationship, she was the only photographer allowed to capture Picasso’s Guernica.

Dora Maar, Le simulateur (The Pretender), 1935, gelatin silver print, 10 1⁄2 × 8 1⁄2″. Artists Rights

Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris. 

Dora Maar’s Le simulateur also known by The Pretender is a perfect example of how Maar displayed her photomontages. She does this by using the composition of two or more photographs to create an illusion that the photo is one shot. This idea of photography is what plays a massive part of Dora’s surrealist imagination and vision. The boy pictured in the photo is one taken from a previous photo while she was in Madrid. The background is part of the Palace of Versailles, where she takes the photo and turns it upside down to create an illusion.

Père Ubu, Dora Maar, 1936, Gelatin silver print, 39.7 x 29.2 cm (15 5/8 x 11 1/2 in.),

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, 2005.100.443

Père Ubu shows us the fascinating side of Dora Maar’s photography where we get a good grasp of surrealism in art. Although we do not know the type of creature that is being represented in the photograph, we can see similar features to that of a baby armadillo. Père Ubu contributes as one of Dora Maar’s best pieces of surrealist photography. André Breton, who co-founded the idea of surrealism, considered Père Ubu to be a perfect example of objet trouvé, which is a readymade.