Since our computer is in the library, I am close to lots of books so I just had Coleen pick one. She pulled out Concepts of Modern Art edited by Tony Richardson.
Here in the Demoiselles, we have, albeit in a tentative and clumsy fashion, a new approach to the problem of representing three-dimensional volumes on a two-dimensional surface. It is in this that the painting's supreme originality lies. In the heads of the three figures in the left-hand half of the composition, Picasso's intentions are stated in a crude, schematic way: the heads of the two central figures are seen full-face and yet have profile noses, while the head seen in profile has a full-face eye. But in the squatting figure to the right, the most important part of the painting, and the last to be painted, this sort of optical synthesis is more imaginatively applied to the whole figure to produce one of the most revolutionary and compelling images in all art.
And since every art history professor I had in school would tell you that it is really hard to study art without seeing it, here is the image referred to above:
Since, I am not really sure who reads my blog except for my family and Gwen, if you want to participate please do so. Please leave a comment on this post though so I can come and look at your bookshelf.
