Woman in striped armchair 1941

Picasso painted this 'Woman in striped armchair' with oils, and it's like he's building her from flat, bright shapes. You can see the way he mixes colours directly on the canvas, like the brushstrokes of red and yellow that make up the legs of the chair. Look at the way the triangles of pink and blue push and pull your eye across the canvas. It’s not just about seeing, it’s about feeling the painting take shape. Notice those white circles on her dress – like a playful take on traditional patterns, they seem to dance and disrupt the surface, adding a layer of visual texture. This piece makes me think about Matisse and his colourful interiors. Like Picasso, Matisse was interested in the way that colour and shape could create a sense of space and depth. Neither of them were trying to trick you into thinking that what you see is real, but instead, they wanted you to see that a painting is a real thing, just like a woman in an armchair.