Variation on Delacroix's "Women of Algiers": IV 1955

Pablo Picasso made this etching, Variation on Delacroix's 'Women of Algiers': IV, at some point in his career, using a metal plate and acid to bite these lines into the surface. Look at how spare these lines are, like he is trying to find his way into a new space, by interrogating an older one. There is something very special about the graphic nature of etching. The stark contrast between the white of the paper and the black of the ink puts you right in touch with the artist's hand. Notice the figure on the bottom right, with her legs akimbo. The lines are so simple, so clear, and yet they perfectly describe the weight and volume of her body. That simple figure reminds me of Matisse, a little, and of course it reminds me of Delacroix, but really it reminds me that art is a conversation between artists, constantly quoting and riffing on each other's ideas. Picasso is never afraid to make a statement, and in this piece, he is practically shouting.