The girls of Avignon (study) 1907

This is one of Picasso's studies for *Les Demoiselles d'Avignon,* likely made with ink or charcoal in the early 1900s. Look at those bold, slashing lines that define the figures, almost violent in their intensity. I can just imagine Picasso, attacking the paper, trying to capture something raw and unsettling. What was he thinking, wrestling with those forms? He flattens the space, crams those figures together, and distorts their faces. The heavy use of black and white amplifies the tension, pushing the figures forward, making them confrontational. That one jagged line slicing across the face of the figure on the right – it’s like a primal scream, distorting the traditional view of beauty. You know, Picasso's work always reminds me that painting is a process of discovery, of challenging what we think we know. He questions everything, urging us to see the world anew. The girls of Avignon, a study, yes, but also a revolution.