This painting is of a cubist woman holding a lotus/waterlily and pondering the world around her. In Buddism, the lotus is a symbol of enlightenment. Even though it's roots are in the mud, it blossoms into a beautiful flower. For me the lotus is a symbol of potential. Each person has the potential to blossom into something special, even though she is surrounded by pond scum. Or maybe she, like the lotus is blossoming because she has been surrounded by pond scum and it has made her stop and ponder what is going on around her.