Large nude in red armchair 1929

Pablo Picasso made this painting of a large nude in a red armchair, and he clearly had fun doing it! The way he uses color and line is so playful, it feels like he’s inviting us to see the world in a new way, a way that’s not so serious. The paint is applied thickly, and you can see the brushstrokes, which gives the painting a real sense of energy. Look at how he’s used black lines to define the shapes of the figure and the chair. It’s almost like he’s drawing with paint. There’s a real physicality to the medium; you can almost feel the paint on the canvas. I love the way he’s rendered the face. It’s so abstract, yet so expressive. Picasso was influenced by so many artists, from the old masters to the Impressionists, and he wasn’t afraid to experiment. Like his contemporary Matisse, he challenges us to see beyond the surface of things, to find the beauty and the humor in the everyday.