Marie-Therese leaning 1939

This is Marie-Therese leaning, painted by Picasso with oils on canvas. Just imagine Picasso in his studio, trying to find this woman's form: it's like he's trying to embrace all of her at once, trying to fit her into a single moment. The colours are soft, the pinks and greens are so gentle, and the brushstrokes have a real tenderness. You know, I always wonder what it was like for him, wrestling with the face, the eyes, the perspective. The painting isn't just a portrait; it's a kind of puzzle that he sets himself. The way the head is split, seen from different angles all at once, makes me think about how we perceive each other: in fragments, shifting perspectives. Picasso had a profound impact on other artists and he was always innovating, always finding ways to stretch the medium. That’s what painting is all about for me: stretching, searching, and pushing at the boundaries of what we think we know.