Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) Spanish painter, sculptor, ceramicist and
poet. Picasso was a founder of Cubism and one of the most influential
artists of the Twentieth Century. Picasso was an influential peace
activist whose art touched on the horrors of war.
Stages of his life
Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain in 1881 to a conventional
artistic family. From an early age, he displayed a talent for painting and
began displaying his work from the age of 14. To further his artistic
aspiration, he left Spain for Paris where he became part of a new avant-
garde movement of art.
His early artistic career went through various states. One of the first
stages was known as the ‘Blue Period.’ In his late-teens his paintings
were dominated by different shades of dark blue; they were also often
melancholic. This included a famous self-portrait where Picasso looked
much older than his 20 years.
During 1904-06, Picasso entered a phase known as ‘The Rose Period’
Losing the glumness of his previous ‘Blue Period’, Picasso painted circus
clowns, harlequins and people from the circus. The more cheerful and
optimistic tone helped to attract an increasing number of patrons and
people interested in his work. In particular, the American art collectors
Leo and Gertrude Stein, and the art dealer, Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler.
Kahnweiler was influential in helping to put Picasso on a secure
financial footing. Picasso later remarked; “What would have become of
us if Kahnweiler hadn’t had a business sense?”
In 1907, Picasso continued his artistic experiments and took inspiration
from African art. This led to an early form of cubism and also one of his
most controversial paintings – ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’ – it is a
picture depicting five prostitutes in a brothel. It is an eye-catching and
an original exploration of modernism in art, but when displayed in his
studio the reaction from art critics was strongly negative.
In the years before the First World War, Picasso – along with artists
such as Georges Braque – continued to develop a new form of painting
known as ‘cubism.’ Cubism involved capturing the essence of the
subject on the canvas but exaggerating certain features. The colours
were invariably dull – greys, brown and neutrals.
In 1914, Picasso was living in Avignon with fellow artists. His French
artist friends were called up to the army, but he was able to continue
painting during the war. However, the German-born Kahnweiler was
exiled from France and Picasso was left without a dealer.
In 1918, Picasso married ballerina Olga Khokhlova. Shortly after he
began a fruitful relationship with the French art dealer Paul Rosenberg.
Rosenberg became good friends with Picasso and helped the couple
settle in Paris, giving Picasso a new artistic social circle. Paris was
considered an artistic hotspot of the ‘Roaring Twenties,’ attracting
many innovative artists. Picasso and his wife Khokholva had a
tempestuous relationship. Picasso’s bohemian nature clashed with the
social graces of Khokhlova. They remained married until 1955, but
Picasso had several affairs and mistresses.
In the 1920s and 30s, Picasso concentrated on more classical works of
art. He became interested in depicting the human form in the style of
neo-classical. To some extent, he was influenced by artists such as
Renoir and Ingres, although he always retained a unique and individual
expression.
Picasso had an instinctive and natural compassion for those exposed to
suffering, especially if it was as a result of injustice. His natural
sympathy and desire for equality led him to join the French Communist
party. During the Spanish Civil War, he supported the Republicans and
nursed an intense dislike of Franco and what he did to Spain.
Pablo Picasso and Guernica
One of Picasso’s most famous paintings was his mural of the Guernica
bombing (1937). The Guernica bombing was carried out by Italian and
German planes and involved the carpet bombing of civil areas. The
bombing of Guernica was a significant development in modern warfare
as it showed a new capacity for extending the horrors of warfare to the
civilian population. The bombing became international news through
the English journalist George Steer. Picasso’s painting helped to
immortalize the tragedy as a key event in the Twentieth Century.
The Dove of Peace by Picasso
Another key painting of Picasso was his simple bird drawing a symbol of
peace. Picasso donated it the Soviet-backed World Peace Congress of
1949. It was telling of a new phase in Picasso’s art – the power of
simplicity. Picasso was a member of the French Communist Party until
his death.
Interesting facts
1. Picasso's Full Name Has 23 Words
Picasso was baptized Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan
Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad
Martyr Patricio Clito Ruíz y Picasso. He was named after various saints
and relatives. The "Picasso" is actually from his mother, Maria Picasso y
Lopez. His father is named Jose Ruiz Blasco.
2. Picasso's First Word: Pencil
It's like Picasso was born an artist: his first word was "piz," short of lápiz
the Spanish word for 'pencil.' His father Ruiz, an artist and art professor,
gave him a formal education in art starting from the age of 7. By 13,
Ruiz vowed to give up painting as he felt that Pablo had surpassed him.
3. Picasso's iconic striped shirt is no ordinary garment
Picasso's iconic shirt is a Breton-striped shirt, which in 1858 became the
official uniform for French seamen in Brittany. Picass was also a leader
in fashion, and his Breton striped t-shirt was designed by Coco Chanel.
The 21 horizontal stripes represent each of Napoleon's victories.
References
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