Pablo Picasso’s Jacqueline Profile to the Right, 1958, a zinc plate lithograph on Arches paper. It is a striking example of Picasso’s lifelong engagement with printmaking and his enduring fascination with Jacqueline Roque, the woman who became both his second wife and his most prolific muse.

The composition depicts Jacqueline in profile, her head turned to the right, her hair cascading down in flowing lines that frame her face and shoulders. Picasso builds the portrait through a dense web of incised lines and textures, using sharp contrasts between black ink and the exposed white paper to create depth and luminosity.

Her wide almond-shaped eye, rendered with sharp precision, anchors the viewer’s gaze, while the gentle slope of her nose and closed lips convey a sense of quiet introspection. The complexity of the etched lines around her hair and garments contrasts with the simplicity of her facial contours, balancing naturalism with stylization.

The portrait carries a solemn, almost iconic quality—Jacqueline is monumental yet intimate, a figure both deeply personal and timeless.

This lithograph was created using a zinc plate, a medium that allowed Picasso to experiment with line density and tonal contrast. Unlike his more colorful linocuts of the 1960s, this work demonstrates the artist’s mastery of black-and-white composition, relying on the strength of incision and mark-making to convey form.

The layering of fine scratched lines over solid black areas creates a sense of texture and depth, making the image vibrate with energy. The choice of Arches paper, known for its durability and ability to hold subtle detail, enhances the stark clarity of the composition.

Jacqueline Profile to the Right belongs to the pivotal moment in Picasso’s life when Jacqueline had become his constant companion and primary subject. More than a model, she was a source of emotional stability and artistic renewal, inspiring thousands of works across media.

Here, Picasso portrays her not just as an individual but as an archetypal muse. The solemnity of the profile view recalls classical portraiture, while the dense, almost restless hatching suggests an intensity of vision and feeling. The work reflects both intimacy and reverence, elevating Jacqueline’s presence into an icon of femininity and creativity.

Jacqueline Profile to the Right (1958) is a zinc plate lithograph on Arches paper by Pablo Picasso, signed by the artist. The work depicts Jacqueline Roque in profile, her features carved out of deep black with etched lines that lend the portrait a sculptural quality. Demonstrating Picasso’s technical mastery of printmaking and his profound engagement with Jacqueline as muse, the lithograph transforms a personal likeness into a timeless, archetypal image of beauty and devotion.