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Close Analysis; Girl in the Mirror

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Submitted By sambam2
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Samantha Barreau
College of Mount Saint Vincent
English 110: Writing in Context I
Professor Rogers

Close Analysis; “Girl before the Mirror”

For this essay I chose a painting by Pablo Picasso called “Girl before a Mirror”, according to the research I had done, this painting is in connection to his mistress Marie- Therese Walter. It displays several view, depending on who’s interpreting the painting. Pablo Picasso became one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century and the creator (with someone named Georges Braque) of Cubism. A painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer, Picasso was considered radical within his work. The poem that is showed in connection to this painting is called “Before the Mirror” by John Updike. This poem is the poets emotions, thoughts and views based on the painting. John Updike was an award-winning writer of fiction, essays, and reviews, John Updike has also been writing poetry for most of his life. He was inspired by his mother, who was also a writer.

For me, “Girl before the Mirror’ is a painting that talks about reflections of one’s self or how we see ourselves versus how others see us even the duality of our natures. There are so many levels your creativity and critical thinking can go in regards to Picasso’s intent with this painting. I can see this particular Picasso painting in a philosophy class where people are wrestling or conversing what the exact meaning of this painting is.
The painting is literally displaying a girl and she is pregnant, her stomach is large and firm, and the green and yellowish circle represents the womb, and her breasts are very perky and round, her face is beautiful. She is looking at her reflection in the mirror but seeing it as her future reflection. In her reflection her stomach is like a deflated balloon, her breasts are lopsided and sagging, and her

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