Recalibrating expected artistic dimensions, Analytical Cubism introduced an unfamiliar communication of tone and characterisation where the body is distorted and absorbed into its surroundings in a collision of mass and void. Cubist artwork is identified by its distinctive amalgamation of fragments depicting internal expression and external imagery from volatile planes of vision- an abstraction which became extended into the medium of modernist literature. Stein’s ‘Susie Asado’, homogenous to Picasso’s ‘Ma Jolie’, is a prominent example of verbal cubism through its synthesis of differing, fragmented perspectives forming a somewhat nonsensical pattern of words, “This is a please this is a please there are the saids to jelly.”3 (8) This “decomposition of the human figure”(Perloff, 1979)4, dislocates the mind from the body, revolutionising the depiction of women in art and literature in a cubist deconstruction of women.

In an infraction of pictorial convention, Picasso’s ‘Ma Jolie’ implies the presence of a woman through a perplexity of diverging and opposing perspectives. The prototypical geometric angles of each fragment starkly oppose the emphasised curvature and the classical, suggestive, ‘Venus Pudica’5 pose often found in Western art, Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’6 and Manet’s ‘Olympia’7 being two examples. There is a subtle indication of a loosely established figure, a somewhat triangular shaped head on the lower right with one eye, connected to a neck and what could be two shoulders, however the elusive outlines of solid forms are almost indistinguishable from the abstract ideas which convey her mind and her form becomes an indication of her presence and seemingly nothing more. Our first indication that the piece is an embodiment of a woman arises from the paintedwords near the bottom, “Ma Jolie” (or ‘my pretty girl’) which implies the subject’s beauty. The cubist construction, however, denies the ability to view her physical attraction as her figure has been abstracted, hidden under an intensity of dark tones and overlapping planes, inviting us to admire the depth and complexity of her character, inferring a sense of sadness, or perhaps intense passion, through the dark greys and muted tones colliding above her. This presentation of her identity, through fragments of her conscious prevents the viewer from interpreting her as a purely sexual being- a subject for the male gaze- and instead forces us to acknowledge further dimensions to her character. The ambiguity evoked by Picasso’s convoluted composition humanises the inhuman form as it ascertains a certain complexity of character that often two-dimensional paintings of female bodies, such as those aforementioned, miss.

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                                         [figure 1] Picasso, Pablo. Ma Jolie. 1912, The Museum of Modern Art, Madrid.

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Transposing Picasso’s visual cubism into a verbal form, Stein’s poem ‘Susie Asado’ distorts our ability to visualise the eponymous character in her physical dimensions, presenting her through convoluted planes, those being: symbols, colours and verbal patterns.

“Susie Asado which is a told tray sure.
A lean on the shoe this means slips slips hers.
When the ancient light grey is clean it is yellow, it is a silver seller.”8 (5-7)

Throughout the poem we are given no indication of what Susie looks like but are able to learn about her through these fragmented planes. The colours, “grey,” “silver” and “yellow,” being one frame of reference, set a slightly mundane atmosphere (similar to Picasso’s use of shading) however the layering of the second plane- symbolism- implies a contradictory tone as one can translate the Spanish “Asado” to mean “fiery” thus evoking more vibrant and passionate imagery. Following the word patterns, one can infer multiple characteristics as the word play of “tray sure” meaning “treasure” implies a certain innocence to her character (reinforced by the repetition of “sweet”) however the later mention of the incubus, “Incy is short for incubus,”9(10) introduces a more playfully erotic tone. This layering of contrasting depictions conceals Susie’s physical appearance but conveys a more accurate depiction of genuine humanity rather than capturing her in a single moment. Similar to Picasso, Stein therefore presents Susie as a sentient, intelligent human rather than a sexualised image to be consumed by the male gaze.

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Expanding on the verbal patterns and sounds created in Stein’s ‘Susie Asado’, both works describe women through rhythm and music rather than their physical form. ‘Susie Asado’ begins with the repetition of the refrain “sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet tea. / Susie Asado.”10 (1-2) The six emphatic tones followed by the counterturn of “Susie Asado” bear resemblance to dance rhythms more so than poetry (perhaps since it is suggested Stein was inspired by a flamenco dancer) and the diminishing vowel sound of “Asado” recreates the sensation of feet stamping, adding movement to what rationally must remain still. In this upbeat tone, we are able to infer a rather lively and happy side to her character, while also imagining her dancing thus Stein has succeeded in conveying her internal expression: her emotions and passions, as well as her external imagery: her movement, without presenting the reader her physical form- using words to represent “the rhythm of anybody’s personality”11. Similarly, Picasso’s ‘Ma Jolie’ instantly reveals its intrinsic link to music through its title, a double-entendre referencing what was a popular song as well as his lover. Picasso uses a collection of symbols denoting sound, such as the clef and the four lines staff, as well as several vague outlines of the structure of an acoustic guitar. The human form and inanimate, or conceptual, structures conflate into a single image creating a sense of confusion as to the dimension of the painting. It seems that the subject’s inner thought- her connection to music and her character which can be matched to the tempo of the song- are pasted over her physicality, her movement conveyed by. the overlapping angles pf her body and her guitar, which we might assume she is playing. Notably, the curves of the female body are no more defined than the curves of the physical guitar or inanimate staff emphasising the focal point is not on the female body but rather on the female mind, spirit and energy.

The confusion and depth of analytical cubism prevents the gaze from locating, or highlighting, the feminine form. Instead, we are compelled to indulge in the emotion depth and personal complexity of the individual identities of Susie Asado and the woman of ‘Ma Jolie’. In both pieces the human form is removed, and replaced with a subtle silhouette to indicate their physical presence which is

fragmented and overwhelmed by a chaotic rendering of their internal identities. Through cubism, the female form is deconstructed and with it, misogynistic oppressions are, too allowing the woman to be viewed beyond her physical appearance.

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Bibliography:

Botticelli, Sandro. 1484-86, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
Manet, Édouard. 1863, Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
Perloff, Marjorie. “Poetry As Word-System: The Art Of Gertrude Stein.” The American Poetry Review, vol. 8, no. 5, 1979, pp. 33–43. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27776276. Accessed 12 Nov. 2020.
Picasso, Pablo. Ma Jolie. 1912, The Museum of Modern Art, Madrid.
Stein, Gertrude. 1972. “Susie Asado.” Selected Writings Of Gertrude Stein. New York: Vintage Books. ThoughtCo. 2020. Definition Of Venus Pudica. [online] Available at: <https://www.thoughtco.com/venus-pudica-182475> [Accessed 6 November 2020].

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