Les quatre visages 1951

Picasso's 'Les Quatre Visages' is a painted image of four faces, but it's also about painting as a process of building up layers. The colors are so flat and graphic, a very limited palette of blue, red, yellow and black. The dove looks like it was drawn directly onto the canvas, quickly, with confidence. Looking at the red face on the right, you can see the brushstrokes, how the paint sits on the surface, and feel the weight of each color pushing against the other. The eyes, like simple circles, stare out. They are so clear and bold in their simplicity. This image reminds me of Matisse's cut-outs, especially his stained glass windows for the Vence Chapel. Both artists, in their own ways, aimed to create something immediate. I think the beauty of a piece like this is that it doesn't try to hide the fact that it's been made, it is what it is!