Costume design for ballet "Tricorne" 1917

Picasso made this costume design for the ballet "Tricorne" using gouache and charcoal. There's this improvisational feel to it, right? Like he's sketching, thinking aloud with the brush, working out ideas as he goes. It's all about movement and energy. What strikes me is the way the colors and textures play together. The bright red sash pops against the earth tones of the pants, and there's this lovely contrast between the soft washes of color and the sharp, decisive lines of the charcoal. Look at those blue stripes on the breeches – they’re so gestural, so full of life. You can almost feel the dancer leaping across the stage. It reminds me a little of Matisse's cut-outs, that same sense of joyful experimentation, but with a distinctly Picassian twist. Ultimately, this drawing is a celebration of the creative process itself: unfinished, evolving and open to possibility.