How did Georges Braque first react to Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon?

When Georges Braque was first introduced to Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) by the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, he was initially disconcerted by the work.1

Expressing his reservations regarding the painting's radical style, Braque reportedly told Picasso: "Listen, in spite of your explanations your painting looks as if you wanted to make us eat tow, or drink gasoline and spit fire."1

Despite this initial reaction, the two artists soon became close friends. Shortly after seeing the work, Braque created his own Large Nude (1908), which utilized a less-radical approach to the distorted planes and shallow space seen in Picasso’s composition. This interaction marked the beginning of a period of mutual influence that led to the development of Cubism.1