Self-Portrait in Three Forms: Crowned Painter, Bust Sculpture, and Amorous Minotaur (Autoportrait sous trois formes: peintre couronné, sculpteur en buste, et minotaure amoureux) 1933

This etching by Pablo Picasso shows us a parade of classical archetypes rendered in stark monochrome. I imagine Picasso with his etching needle, almost dancing with the plate as he generates this bizarre juxtaposition of characters; a garlanded bust, a monumental face looming at the back, a minotaur embracing a nude, plus a pair of women with a flute. His spidery lines crawl across the surface, creating a vibrating sense of movement. How do these fragmented lines coalesce into a vision of the artist? Is it a representation of the artist himself or a representation of his fractured psyche? The references to classical sculpture in this etching reminds me of the many different visual languages painters like to use, sometimes all at once. Picasso is conversing with art history, yes, but also riffing off the themes and subjects in his own paintings. Ultimately, all artists share a common concern; how do you make a picture? It's an ongoing exchange that can be serious, silly, romantic, tragic, and everything in between.