Still life with skull of ox 1942

Picasso made this painting of an ox skull, we don't know when, using thick paint, it's like he's building up the image, not just depicting it. The colors are intense, purples and blacks, which gives it a brooding feel. There's a real tension between the flat planes and the way he models the skull, like he’s pushing and pulling at the same time. Look at the way he renders the teeth; they're almost comical, like little spikes. And those empty eye sockets stare right through you, don’t they? It's not just about death, but the way death reveals something essential. It reminds me of Philip Guston, how he used a simplified language to get at something profound. Ultimately, Picasso shows us that art is not about answers, but about asking the right questions.