Woman turned right 1934

Pablo Picasso made this painting of a woman's head, turned to the right, with oil on canvas. Just imagine Picasso, brush in hand, circling the subject, his gaze intense, trying to figure out what it means to depict someone. The colors are bold, separated by heavy outlines, but it's the planes of color that define the form. I wonder if he felt her presence strongly? Or was he just making another painting? Trying to find something new? The colors are what strike me the most, because they give an overwhelming impression, a total, rather than a series of details. Just look at the way he divides up the face into different color areas that suggest depth and shadow. You get the feeling he had a particular person in mind; someone who has a lot of power over him and the world around him. Yet it is also an idea - an image of a woman. But that's what painting is all about. It's an ongoing conversation between artists, a constant exchange of ideas. It's not about having the right answers but asking the right questions.