Pablo Picasso Essay, Research Paper

Pablo Picasso

Famous painter Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain, in 1881. His father, an art teacher, recognized his sons talent at an early age. Pablo attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Barcelona, where his father was appointed professor in 1896. When he was only 16, Picasso had his own studio and had already mastered realistic technique, and did not have much use for school.

Picasso’s personal style began to form from 1901 to 1904. This period was known was his blue period. They used this term because he often used many blue tones in his paintings. Although as he became more successful he began using less blue and more of the terra-cotta color, deep pinkish red. His subjects also changed during what they called the rose period, 1905 to 1907. The subjects went from depression to happy, such as dancers, acrobats, and harlequins.

In the year of 1907, Picasso had an entirely different look, like the one in ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’. Picasso’s fascination for primitive art and carvings, especially those of African origin, was expressed in this painting. This painting opened the door to cubism and other later abstract movements. Working with fellow painter, and friend, Georges Braque, Picasso experimented with geometric forms. The painting ‘The Three Musicians’ of 1921 was his major achievement using the cubism technique.

Later in 1917, Picasso moved to Rome where he designed costumes for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. This brought on another branch of Picasso’s work, the classic period, which lasted until 1925. Although working at the ballet, Picasso kept working on his cubist technique. He wanted to make it less demanding and harsh, he changed straight rigid lines to curved ones. His painting ‘Guernica’, which depicted his feelings of the Spanish Civil War. This huge painting was considered to be by many his

masterpiece. People also believed that this painting because forms were so distorted was almost those of a surrealist, but Picasso never called himself one.

The reaction of 19th century naturalism in art led to different movements in the 20th century. In all of these periods Picasso played and important role, he said that “to repeat oneself is to go against the constat flight forward of the spirit”. Although primarily a painter, he also became a fine sculptor, engraver and ceramist. Picasso continued to work well into his 90’s as a painter, ceramist, sculptor, designer, and graphic artists. When he died on April 8, 1973, his estates value was estimated at more than 500 million dollars.