Pablo Picasso1881-1973

Spanish Sculptor and Painter

About Pablo Picasso

• He was born in Malaga, Spain on October 25th, 1881

• He grew up in Spain

• He was inspired by French postimpressionist Paul Cezanne

• He received art training from his father at a very young age where he learned figure

drawing and oil painting.

• He attended school of fine arts.

• His realistic style of art became linked with symbolism. His art then developed an

American influence with cubism art (using monochrome brownish and neutral colors)

“Self Portrait Facing Death” 1972

"When I was as old as these children, I could draw like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them."

Picasso was inspired by the simple art of children and how they would draw so effortlessly. He wanted to do something that was opposite of his complex cubism style of art. The tragedy of World War II helped inspire this piece. He used crayon and pencil to complete the piece. He completed the work of art one year before he passed away. Although the piece appears to be viewed as a child’s work, that was the goal of the painting.

“Seated Woman” 1937

The piece depicts a woman who is seated in a chair and is done in oil paint. The color choices of flashes of reds, yellows, and greens, and the illusion that the stripes create strongly reflect the style of cubism. The use of shapes also suggests cubism. The bright colors give the piece a joyful mood.

“The Old Guitarist” 1903-1904

This work of art used styles from Modernism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Symbolism. It is known as being part of Picasso’s Blue Period, a period where he used monochromatic paintings in shades of blue and blue-green. It was completed in oil paint. The expression on the man’s face in the painting and the shades of blue suggest a sad tone like many of the paintings in the Blue Period.

What he was trying to do with his work

Picasso tried to express a distinct tone through color choice. He created complex detail by choosing to make some of his works childishly simple. Many of his paintings inspired by World War II and the death of his sister when we was young expressed destruction without visually showing chaos. Other paintings reflected off of an event in his life, for instance the Blue Period art reflected off of the death of an artist who was of great inspiration to Picasso.

What was important about Picasso’s artwork

Picasso’s art was important because it experimented with styles that nobody had seen before. The unique style of his portraits altered the traditional idea of perspective. He helped to show the tragedy of World War II that many were uninformed of. The way he viewed what he painted helped shape a new way that other artists began to see the world.

Citations

• "Pablo Picasso." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Oct. 2014. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.

• N.p., n.d. Web.

• "Pablo Picasso." Seated Woman, 1937 by. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.