Fernande with shawl 1906

Here's Picasso's "Fernande with shawl", probably painted sometime in the early 1900s, and it’s all about these peachy-orange hues and the way they just barely define the subject. I mean, look at how the brushstrokes kind of hover, like they're not quite committing to a solid form. There’s a real feeling of transience, right? And the way the paint's applied – it's not trying to hide itself, it's got this kind of rough, almost raw texture. Like Picasso’s just letting the paint do its thing. I’m drawn to that little swipe of pale blue in the background. It's like a breath of fresh air amidst all that warmth, and it hints at a sky. It is such a simple mark, but it creates a whole atmosphere. It reminds me of some of the early Matisse paintings, that same interest in color and form breaking down. This painting really opens up a space where seeing is active, and nothing is fixed.