Drawing woman surrounded by her children 1950

This painting, "Drawing woman surrounded by her children," was made by Pablo Picasso, probably in oil paint. The colours are all muted; browns, greys, and creams that set a somber tone. The image is interesting for the way the woman’s presence dominates the space, her muted palette seems appropriate, perhaps to indicate the artist's attitude to motherhood; that while ever-present and perhaps a little stifling, the woman herself is hard at work. I like the way Picasso has represented an easel, as a painter myself I like to see other artists depicting the tools of our trade. The chair is like a weird throne. Overall, the painting evokes a sense of interiority and introspection, something we also see in the work of Philip Guston. It's about how artists make sense, or non-sense, of their everyday lives. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist, the subject, and us, the viewers.