Portrait of Gustave Coquiot 1901

This portrait of Gustave Coquiot, made with oil on canvas by Picasso, is now housed at the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris. It's a great example of when Picasso was starting to play with more expressive mark making, and the color palette seems like a kind of nod to the Fauves but with a very Spanish kind of darkness. What really grabs me are the thick daubs of paint used for Coquiot’s white bow tie. They are almost sculptural, standing out from the more blended areas of his suit. This impasto effect gives the tie a sense of materiality, as if it's not just a piece of fabric but something almost alive, pulling the eye towards it. This texture contrasts with the more dreamlike figures in the background, creating a push and pull between the foreground and background. This portrait always makes me think of Van Gogh, especially in the swirling energy and intensity of the brushwork. Both artists share a willingness to experiment with paint and push the boundaries of representation. With Picasso it's always a conversation, an exchange, always something new to discover!