Lying female nude 1932

Here is the audio guide script for the provided artwork: This is ‘Lying female nude,’ a painting by Pablo Picasso of unknown date, made using oil paint on canvas. Picasso makes expressive use of the oil medium; see how the paint is applied in thick impasto layers, building up a palpable surface of texture and depth. The fluidity of the oil allows for bold brushstrokes and a layering of colors to create areas of luminosity and shade. Now, although oil painting has traditionally been associated with high art, think about how Picasso disrupts these distinctions. The artist is not so much depicting form, as creating it, allowing the materiality of the paint to take precedence. There is a real emphasis on manual labor here, in the application of the paint. It’s clear that this is a constructed image, rather than a representation of reality. Considering Picasso's work through this lens lets us appreciate his radical approach to materials and process, ultimately challenging traditional notions of art.