The Fortune 1901

This is Picasso’s *The Fortune*, and it’s rendered with pastel and charcoal. I imagine Picasso leaning in close to the surface, almost whispering to the paper. See those powdery strokes of blue shaping the woman's dress? It’s like he’s coaxing form out of thin air. What’s she thinking, this woman in blue? Is she nervous, intrigued, or maybe a little skeptical about what she's about to hear? The whole scene has this hazy, dreamlike quality, doesn't it? It reminds me of some of Degas' pastels—that same fleeting, ephemeral quality. But Picasso's got his own thing going on. It’s less about capturing a moment and more about hinting at a story, a mood. And that little glimpse of the fortune teller's face—it’s almost like a stage set, isn't it? Like we're peeking into a world of mystery and intrigue. You get the feeling that Picasso is telling stories in colour.