Head of young man 1905

This early portrait by Pablo Picasso is a small oil on canvas. I look at this and think about the act of painting itself, how it's a back-and-forth, a give and take. I wonder what it was like for Picasso at that moment in time, probably pretty sure of his own talent. He was really young then. But I think the mark-making is about, how can I put it, trying out different ways of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world. The canvas is not completely covered, and is more like a memory of seeing. See that line that defines the edge of the nose and cheek? It’s dark and angular and gives a sense of three-dimensionality. I think about what it means to represent a likeness and a presence, because that young man looks intensely at the painter but also at us, inviting an intimate exchange. Picasso learned from the painters before him. I think artists are always in an ongoing conversation, and it is the conversation that creates an inspiring space, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.