Homme assis et centaure 1972

This painting, *Homme assis et centaure*, by Pablo Picasso, is made with oil on canvas. It looks like it has come into being through a process of trial and error and maybe some intuition. I sympathize with Picasso here, imagining him thinking, "How can I make a man and a centaur occupy the same plane?" The paint looks thin, applied in sweeping gestures that blend and blur the boundaries between forms. Look at the dark brown strokes that define the centaur's legs, each one communicating a sense of weight and movement. Picasso’s exploration of the interplay between representation and abstraction reminds me of other painters. It’s like he’s in conversation with them, across time, inspiring new ways of seeing and thinking. The beauty of painting lies in its ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.