Nude, study to "Harem" 1906

This study of a nude was made by Picasso, ahead of his ‘Harem’ paintings, using watercolour. The whole painting has this amazing kind of rosy, peachy colour going on. I love how immediate watercolour is – you can see the process so clearly. Look at the figure. The lines are soft and blurred, like a memory, but there’s real weight and presence. The way Picasso uses the wash of colour to define the form is great. See how the different shades of pink create the shadows and curves of her body? It’s very sculptural. The hand that rests on the raised knee is so beautifully observed, it seems to carry all the weight of the figure. Thinking about other artists playing with a similar palette and sensuality, I keep coming back to Renoir. But Picasso, of course, brings his own radical vision. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, an exploration of ideas that never really ends.