Woman sitting in an armchair 1912

This is one of Picasso’s many paintings of women, and like his others, it’s all about breaking down how we see, and then building it back up again. The painting is built from shades of browns and greys, like he’s seeing the world in sepia tones. Look closely, and you'll notice that everything is broken down into geometric shapes. Each shape feels like a piece of a puzzle, and as you start to connect the dots, you can almost make out the woman sitting in the chair. Almost. It’s like he's asking, what does it mean to see something? Is it about capturing every single detail, or is it about something else entirely? It's a question that has been asked by artists from Cezanne to Braque, and it remains an open question today. The conversation continues.