Untitled 1971

This ink drawing was made by Pablo Picasso, but its exact date is unknown. I imagine Picasso standing before this piece, his mind a whirlwind of images and ideas, not wanting to get bogged down with details. He's quickly conjuring these figures using just the bare minimum of line. Look at the two figures on the left – the woman has such an exaggerated curve that she looks almost comical. I imagine Picasso being amused as he draws her; but I also wonder if he's exploring a deeper aspect of male-female relationships. And the figure on the right is so interesting. She’s crouched down, looking up as she pleasures herself; hands depicted as nervous zig-zags, and again, only just enough information to get the idea across. Picasso was always in conversation with the art of the past and with the work of his contemporaries. This piece makes me think of other drawings like those of Matisse. It’s almost like he’s saying: “I can be as free and as expressive as anyone else, but I’m going to do it my way, with my own particular sense of humor and style.”