FINE ARTS (TYKEY)

Re-read the section in A World of Art about the painter Pablo Picasso (pp. 12-13) and take a close look at his 1901 work, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Fig. 1-13. In this discussion post, I'd like you to do three things:

1. Describe the work in as much detail as possible. We'll talk a lot more about artistic vocabulary in the next lesson, but right now I want you to use your own words to describe the painting. The image might seem simple on the surface, but try to focus on the subtleties that make complex and interesting to you. How would you describe the painting to someone who couldn't see it?

2. Is the work representational, abstract, or nonobjective (nonrepresentational)? What features cause you to label it as such? What do you think the content is? (For a review of terms, see pp. 33-37).

3. Of the four roles of the artist described on pp. 10-20, what role do you think Picasso is adopting with this work? How might Picasso's intent with Les Demoiselles d'Avignon compare or contrast to an audience's reception of the work?