Spartan Envoys (Serment des femmes) 1934

Picasso made this print, Spartan Envoys, with etching, a technique where lines are incised into a metal plate to hold ink. This kind of mark-making has a graphic quality that is direct, immediate, and kind of tough. Look at the etched lines. They are surprisingly simple but so effective at communicating form. There’s a real economy to the work. The lack of shading or texture puts a spotlight on the form itself. He’s not trying to trick us into thinking this is reality. It is a construction, a way of seeing. My eye is drawn to the woman on the right with her arm extended. She feels like a figure from a Greek vase, but with a distinctly Picasso-esque twist, something that echoes through his entire oeuvre. Like so much great art, this print doesn't offer easy answers. It invites us to ask questions and see the world in new ways. It’s like a conversation that continues long after the artist has left the room.