"Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter?"

This quote by Pablo Picasso is a thought-provoking expedition of the various methods which we perceive and translate the human face. The photographer records a moment in time, freezing a single expression and catching the physical functions of the face. The mirror shows an individual's physical appearance, but does not record the emotion or personality of the person. The painter, on the other hand, has the ability to capture the feeling and personality of the person, along with the physical features. The painter has the ability to interpret the face in such a way that the professional photographer and mirror can not. Picasso is recommending that the painter is the only one who can really see the human face correctly. He is suggesting that the painter is the only one who can record the real essence of the individual, and that the photographer and mirror are limited in their capability to do so.