Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

  Summary:
This painting depicts many different females in erotic poses.

Artist
The artist is Spaniard Pablo Picasso, creator of Guernica and many other renowned works.  He is a pioneer of the cubist style (displayed above).

Context:
The title translates literally to "the young girls of Avignon." It is spatial since it is not prompted by any event nor created or thought-of spontaneously, but took years of drafting.

Purpose:
Given his title and piece, his purpose may have been to portray the seductive nature of females from the specific region of Avignon.

Audience:
I believe this work was made predominantly for the eyes of men, given its sensual and seductive nature. Additionally, its message would appeal more to men than females.

Rhetorical Elements:
Positioning: Females are all posed in erotic positions which emit a sexual vibe from the painting
Communal memory: In the story of Adam and Eve, Eve tempts Adam into tasting a forbidden fruit. Fruit is painted in the picture to further convey the seductive and tempting nature of the females.
Variety: The females in the painting have varying styles and looks. This may portray that Avignon is a heterogeneous place, in which many exotic females reside.
Color Contrast: The backdrop of the painting is painted different colors. This gives the painting a convoluted feel, as if many things are happening at once.

Arrangement: It seems as if one of them is coming out from behind a curtain. This tells me that the women are on display and meant to be looked at. Also prompts me to think whether Picasso was depicting all of the women in Avignon or the prostitutes in Avignon.