The girls of Avignon (study) 1907

This is one of Picasso's studies for *Les Demoiselles d'Avignon*, a painting that he never considered finished. It's all about process! Here, he’s working out the composition in charcoal or ink, maybe even both. It's a fascinating glimpse into his thought process, like seeing the gears turning in his mind. There’s an urgency to the marks; everything is kind of jagged and sharp, and nothing quite connects. This is him thinking on paper, wrestling with form and space. Look at the figure on the left, the lines are raw, like he’s trying to capture her essence with the fewest possible strokes. It feels immediate, like a snapshot of an idea. The great thing about Picasso is that even in his studies, there's this raw energy. It reminds me of the work of Guston, how he was always searching, always pushing. This isn't about perfection; it's about the messy, beautiful journey of making art, and that’s what makes it so alive.