Deux femmes nues 1956

Editor: Here we have Picasso's "Deux femmes nues," painted in 1956. The bold strokes of oil paint on what appears to be a tile, create a really raw, almost primal energy. I find myself focusing on the way the forms are so drastically simplified. What's your perspective on this, looking at it formally? Curator: I would say that it's impossible to avoid considering how the simplification of form speaks to broader cubist principles at play here. If we attend carefully to the composition, we note the flattening of perspective, combined with the near geometric breakdown of the bodies; note the tension this creates on the tile surface. The juxtaposition of red figures against the cool blues furthers this dynamic. How do you feel about the use of color here? Editor: It strikes me as so intentional – like each color defines a specific aspect of the form, rather than simply describing it. There’s such a limited palette and yet, such emotional intensity. Curator: Indeed. It is not representational in a mimetic way, but rather invoking emotion through strategic, almost economical applications of the medium itself. The quick brushstrokes, particularly in the limbs, invite considerations around movement and tension in the image’s pictorial space. Consider the rough application, and the tension created between the white of the background and the depicted figures. Editor: So, the tension relies not only on the subject matter, but on the way he has treated his materials, and arranged his forms. I never considered the raw application of paint as an integral component of meaning, but now it seems obvious. Curator: Exactly. Form and content cannot be divorced; one dictates the other. It makes us contemplate on how Picasso is deliberately experimenting with the limitations that the material imposes upon the figures. Editor: I appreciate that so much, now. It really enhances my perception. Curator: Agreed. This tile, at first glance simple, demonstrates the rich formal complexity available in even the most minimalist figuration.