Head of a man with hat 1912

Picasso made this head of a man, with hat, on paper. It’s mostly made of browns, blues, and blacks. I can imagine Picasso, in his studio, shuffling things around. The newspaper-texture stuck in place. I wonder if he was thinking about identity when he put this together. Was this man a real person, or someone he imagined? How does the addition of that blue block change everything? Look at the two eyes, like perfect circles floating in space. One is placed on the newspaper block, the other on the blue. By playing with geometry, Picasso almost constructs a head out of thin air. His simple lines create a portrait, but one that's kind of floating apart, not quite fixed. This play with form and perspective, Picasso has a real conversation with other artists like Braque and Gris. Each one of them playing with shape, space, and representation. They really pushed the boundaries of what a painting could be. His legacy remains vibrant, fueling the creative explorations of artists today.