Portrait of Dora Maar 1937

This is a portrait of Dora Maar by Picasso, made with crayon or pastel, maybe even gouache, and it’s a bit like looking into a shattered mirror. See how the colours are both tender and jarring? Picasso lays down marks so you can feel his process. It’s not about hiding the work, it’s about showing it. The texture of the paper is part of the image, a kind of gritty realness. Look at the way the lines are used to create the planes of her face, and the way one eye peers out while the other is obscured. It’s unsettling, but also intimate, like a glimpse into the artist’s complex relationship with his subject. Picasso’s constant reinvention reminds me of artists like Philip Guston, who weren’t afraid to break the rules and embrace ambiguity. Art is a conversation, and this portrait is a bold statement in that ongoing dialogue.