Portrait of Suzanne Bloch 1904

Here we have Picasso’s Portrait of Suzanne Bloch. We don't know exactly when he made it, but the story goes that it was lost for decades and only resurfaced in the 1950s! The blues here, from cool light tones to nearly black, remind us that painting is about making a world from color. The vertical brushstrokes in the background make me think of rain, or maybe the way light flickers on water. Look at the places where the strokes get a bit scrubby, almost raw. I love that Picasso isn't trying to hide the process. Then there's Suzanne herself, her gaze is so direct, almost challenging. The dark hair is like a shadow around her face, but her skin has a subtle warmth. You can see the influence of artists like Degas in the tonal modelling, but Picasso is already pushing towards something more, something that feels both modern and timeless. It suggests the push and pull of tradition and experimentation, and the ongoing conversation between artists across time.