Head of a Woman 1919

Manolo made this Head of a Woman from plaster, but we don't know when exactly. The surface has this amazing, almost crumbly texture. It’s not smooth or idealized; you can see the marks of the maker. You know, the real, physical process of pushing and shaping the clay. Look closely at the hair – it’s not about perfect representation. Instead, it's these expressive, almost primitive gestures in the material, lumps and bumps. The color is a very pale white, like aged stone. It gives the sculpture this ancient feel, as if it has been sitting in the earth for centuries. And then the form is cut off so abruptly at the shoulders in this very modern way. Manolo was a contemporary of Picasso, and you can feel a connection in the simplified forms. But he had his own thing. This work feels both classical and incredibly raw, existing in a weird, wonderful space.