Still life with lamp 1944

This is Picasso’s Still life with lamp, an oil on canvas painting. As with many of his works, it's all about how he handles paint. Instead of trying to create a realistic depiction, he's breaking down the forms and reassembling them on the canvas. Look closely and you'll notice how the objects are fragmented. Picasso uses the materiality of paint to convey a sense of depth and movement, layering and blending the colours to create a dynamic composition. The thick, gestural brushstrokes give the painting a tactile quality, emphasizing the physical act of its creation. And there are more than fine art traditions at play here. Picasso was looking at the visual language of graphic design and commercial signage – the way lettering and images could be simplified and stylized for maximum impact. By incorporating these elements into his fine art practice, Picasso blurred the boundaries between high and low culture, inviting us to see the world in new and unexpected ways.