Naked woman with dripping hair 1902

Pablo Picasso made this small painting of a "Naked woman with dripping hair" using oil paint on canvas, sometime during his 'blue period.' The prevailing blue tones set a mood, but the visible brushstrokes are just as important. Look closely, and you can see how Picasso built up the image through layers of paint. The canvas support peeks through the blue, lending the surface a broken texture that emphasizes its materiality. The thin paint emphasizes the flatness of the canvas, and the human figure seems almost trapped on the support. There's something forlorn about the painting, as the figure appears vulnerable and exposed. The 'blue period' was born out of personal tragedy, but it also reflects the grim realities of early 20th-century urban life, where many people experienced poverty and alienation. So next time, when you look at an artwork, consider the materials and processes behind it. They can tell you a lot about the artist's intentions, and the wider world they inhabited.