The ironer 1904

Picasso painted this picture of an ironing woman, sometime, well, who knows exactly when. But look at how he's working through the painting, it's almost like he's figuring it out as he goes. The blues and grays give it such a somber feel, right? It's all about the materiality, thick paint, heavy strokes. See how the figure almost blends into the background? It's like she's consumed by her labor. And her hands, those are the focal point. They're so big and clumsy. The way they press down on the iron, it speaks volumes about the weight of her work. I’m reminded of Käthe Kollwitz, but Picasso brings something totally his own. It's a conversation across time, all these artists grappling with what it means to be human, to struggle, to create. And that's the beauty of art, isn't it? It's not about answers, but about questions and possibilities.