Videos > "Girl Before a Mirror" by Pablo Picasso, 1932 | MoMA Education
"Girl Before a Mirror" by Pablo Picasso, 1932 - MoMA Education Video Lecture
FAQs on "Girl Before a Mirror" by Pablo Picasso, 1932 - MoMA Education
| 1. What is the meaning behind Pablo Picasso's "Girl Before a Mirror"? |  |
Ans. "Girl Before a Mirror" by Pablo Picasso is a painting that explores the theme of self-reflection and the duality of one's identity. The mirror represents the inner self, while the girl's reflection shows her true self, contrasting with the external appearance. It reflects Picasso's fascination with the complexity of human identity.
| 2. How did Picasso's style evolve during the creation of "Girl Before a Mirror"? | |
Ans. During the creation of "Girl Before a Mirror," Pablo Picasso was in his Surrealist period. His style evolved from the Cubist approach he had previously adopted. In this painting, he started using vibrant colors and distorted forms, which became characteristic of his later works.
| 3. What is the significance of the mirror in "Girl Before a Mirror"? | |
Ans. The mirror in "Girl Before a Mirror" holds symbolic importance. It represents the girl's self-reflection and reveals her inner self, contrasting with her external appearance. The duality of the reflection suggests the complexity of her identity and the different perspectives one can have of themselves.
| 4. How does "Girl Before a Mirror" reflect Picasso's personal life? | |
Ans. "Girl Before a Mirror" reflects Picasso's personal life through its exploration of identity and self-perception. Picasso had a tumultuous personal life, with multiple relationships and shifting identities. This painting can be seen as a reflection of his own struggle to understand his true self and the various masks he wore throughout his life.
| 5. What is the historical context of "Girl Before a Mirror" in Picasso's career? | |
Ans. "Girl Before a Mirror" was created in 1932, during Picasso's Surrealist period. At this time, he was experimenting with different styles and themes, moving away from the analytical approach of Cubism. This painting marked a shift in his artistic career, as he began to explore more emotional and psychological subjects.
Text Transcript from Video
- Hi. My name is Grace Hwang
and I'm an educator here
for school programs.
For a student that hasn't really
been introduced to modern art,
I think this painting can
be a little bit challenging.
Usually for students, I try
to break it down for them,
to see that Picasso here
is really interested
in taking a human body
and translating it into
colors and shapes.
Your eye starts to look for
things that are familiar,
like oh, I see a face, I see some eyes
and then slowly, these different shapes
kind of come together and then, you see,
like there's this mirror
and I think that's really interesting,
that moment of discovery for them
when they're like,
"This is a girl and she's
looking at the mirror
"and the mirror is telling her
"something different from real life."
She looks really sad or she
doesn't like what she sees
or it's showing her her true emotions
and it's really exciting because
that is a direct
interpretation and I ask them,
"Well, how did you get there?"
Ya know, we start
talking about the colors.
They're so dark.
Her eyes no longer have pupils.
They're sort of sunken and deep set.
The discovery that I've made
in just studying this painting
is the background, this crazy
diamond and circle pattern,
of it being a harlequin pattern
and knowing that Picasso himself,
thought of himself as like
a trickster or a harlequin.
And so, that the background
is a metaphor for Picasso.
When the students can go there,
I'll offer that bit of information
as a discovery that I've
made myself through research
and it's just really interesting because,
you know, maybe for some kids,
they're like, "That's too out there.
"That's crazy. I'm just
gonna stick with like,
"this is the girl, this is
how she perceives herself,
"and that's what it means for me."
And then some people will be like,
"Oh, this is how Picasso
perceives this woman,
"young woman looking at
herself in the mirror."
What I love about art,
especially modern art,
is that it meets you where you are.
Like, if you're ready to go there,
it'll invite you to come in.
And if you just wanna
keep, stay where you are,
it'll say, I'm with you there too.
and I'm an educator here
for school programs.
For a student that hasn't really
been introduced to modern art,
I think this painting can
be a little bit challenging.
Usually for students, I try
to break it down for them,
to see that Picasso here
is really interested
in taking a human body
and translating it into
colors and shapes.
Your eye starts to look for
things that are familiar,
like oh, I see a face, I see some eyes
and then slowly, these different shapes
kind of come together and then, you see,
like there's this mirror
and I think that's really interesting,
that moment of discovery for them
when they're like,
"This is a girl and she's
looking at the mirror
"and the mirror is telling her
"something different from real life."
She looks really sad or she
doesn't like what she sees
or it's showing her her true emotions
and it's really exciting because
that is a direct
interpretation and I ask them,
"Well, how did you get there?"
Ya know, we start
talking about the colors.
They're so dark.
Her eyes no longer have pupils.
They're sort of sunken and deep set.
The discovery that I've made
in just studying this painting
is the background, this crazy
diamond and circle pattern,
of it being a harlequin pattern
and knowing that Picasso himself,
thought of himself as like
a trickster or a harlequin.
And so, that the background
is a metaphor for Picasso.
When the students can go there,
I'll offer that bit of information
as a discovery that I've
made myself through research
and it's just really interesting because,
you know, maybe for some kids,
they're like, "That's too out there.
"That's crazy. I'm just
gonna stick with like,
"this is the girl, this is
how she perceives herself,
"and that's what it means for me."
And then some people will be like,
"Oh, this is how Picasso
perceives this woman,
"young woman looking at
herself in the mirror."
What I love about art,
especially modern art,
is that it meets you where you are.
Like, if you're ready to go there,
it'll invite you to come in.
And if you just wanna
keep, stay where you are,
it'll say, I'm with you there too.
About this Video
Apr 20, 2026 Last updated
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