T H E W O M A N W I T H T H E P I G E O N
Winter 1954 - 1955
Letter to Antoine:
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
"On the wall I pinned a gouache which I like and especially which finally made me take a step forward.
It is a woman's face whose thought and expression disturb me. It might be silly, but that's how it is. You know, it's not his face that I like but the emanation of his face. Weak hands annoy me. They're dead, maybe I'll be able to change that.
She is a woman who may be thirty years old, whose movable mouth expresses an unfulfilled indefinite desire and her eyes a tenderness mingled with irony. In her, nothing sated. I imagine her unable to be disappointed, but still awake to other desires. She's not pretty pretty, but that must leave her perfectly indifferent. She is aware of her worth and has worked her personality thoroughly. Her slightly ironic expression is a reflection of the deep knowledge of herself.
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
She knows her possibilities and has touched her limits. She is absolutely not fooled by herself. Racy, there is certainly Slavic or Oriental blood in her. She insolently measures herself against the purity of line of a pigeon which she holds in her hand and wears a bizarre pink blouse and a garnet skirt confidently. I think that on me, these clothes would be impossible, but on her it is absolutely not shocking.
If I were a man, I could be dangerously in love with him and I would try to take away that insolent expression of a self-sufficient being. I doubt I will get there and I would probably become very unhappy. It is a being who attracts by I do not know what emanation of presence. It is full of promises and must not keep any. She is full of dreams and her poisonous sweetness must be harmful.
In her, nothing petty, nothing stopped. The opposite of the seated woman.
When I made this drawing, I was looking for a face that I would like without really knowing what ... you see, chance ... the part of chance in painting is enormous.
It happened to me to make faces of women whom I abominated. Sweetly stupid, heavy faces, I don't know why. "
Poucette
Winter 1954-1955
Letter to Antoine Battesti before becoming his wife.
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