Untitled 1971

This is an untitled drawing by Pablo Picasso, made using ink on paper. The initial impression is the apparent confidence of the artist in using such minimal means to evoke quite a complex scene. Look at the area around the central figure’s hands. The frenetic mark-making here contrasts with the economy of line elsewhere, resulting in an area that seethes with eroticism. The combination of the linear and the chaotic is something that Picasso used frequently, particularly in his drawings. We can see this in the contrast between the precise lines defining the figures' bodies, and the almost scribbled lines used to indicate shadow and texture on the man's clothing, and to define the hair of the figures. It reminds me of the way Guston used to create a sense of drama in his late paintings by juxtaposing flat planes of color with loose, almost cartoonish lines. Like Guston, Picasso embraces ambiguity and leaves space for multiple interpretations.