Vase de fleurs au coquelicot 1939

This is Picasso’s Vase de fleurs au coquelicot, painted in 1939. Imagine Picasso at work. The canvas is alive with thick daubs of colour – blues, yellows, pinks, and reds – battling it out. It's a floral still life, sort of, but feels more like a playground of form. I sympathize with the artist trying to wrangle with representation, while letting the painting be itself! Those black marks feel so deliberate, like bold statements cutting through the sweetness of the flowers. The texture is palpable; you can almost feel the push and pull of the brush. The heavy impasto gives the painting a sculptural quality that is quite striking. I wonder, what was Picasso thinking as he laid down each stroke? Was he trying to capture the essence of the flowers or something more? Artists borrow and steal from one another all the time, inspiring creativity. This piece is an interesting conversation between representation and abstraction. It invites you to engage with the artist's process and discover your own interpretation.