Five bathers 1920

These “Five Bathers” by Picasso are painted with thin layers of oil, maybe even watercolor, on canvas, and the painting feels like it came together quickly, like a sketch. Picasso might have been trying to reconcile some conflicting impulses here. I'm thinking about how the subdued, almost monochromatic palette of pinks, blues, and sandy hues kind of softens the blow of these figures. They're monumental and awkward. The seated figure with her arms crossed over her chest reminds me of some ancient fertility statue, while the reclining figure seems to be reading a book! The bodies are like landscapes—shifting and strange. You know, painting for me is like a conversation with all the painters who have ever lived; it’s as though we’re all in this giant studio together, passing around ideas and inspiring each other to see the world in new ways. We are all bathers on the beach together. Picasso knew this, too.