Naked woman and musketeer 1967

'Naked Woman and Musketeer' is a painting made by Pablo Picasso, with oil on canvas, sometime between 1967 and 1968. You know, looking at this, what strikes me is how Picasso is not trying to trick us into seeing reality, he’s playing with ideas and paint. See how the grays of the woman contrast the musketeer’s warmer tones. The paint isn’t blended, it’s kind of slapped on, isn't it? The forms are jagged and abrupt. It's not about perfect shapes; it’s about getting a feeling across. The musketeer’s beard, for example, is made up of these scratchy marks, like he’s scribbling on the canvas. I see a connection with someone like Guston, who also got so raw and honest with his painting, especially later in life. It’s like they both decided perfection is boring; it's the mess, the struggle, that makes it real.