Pablo Picasso is one of the most well-known and influential artists of the 20th century, the founder of cubism and an innovator in the fields of painting, sculpture, printmaking, and ceramics. His work spans over seventy years and reflects various styles, themes, techniques, and inspirations. In this article, we will explore the main stages and characteristics of Pablo Picasso’s creativity, as well as his contribution to art and culture.
Early Period (1890-1904)
Picasso began drawing from an early age under the guidance of his father, who was a professional artist and drawing teacher. In 1895, the Picasso family moved to Barcelona, where Picasso enrolled in the School of Fine Arts. In 1897, he moved to Madrid to study at the Royal Academy of San Fernando but soon dropped out and dedicated himself to self-study of art.
In his early period, Picasso was influenced by various artistic movements such as realism, impressionism, symbolism, and modernism. He was also interested in Spanish folk art, especially the tradition of bullfighting. His works during this period were characterized by academicism, detail, realism, and traditionality. He painted portraits, landscapes, still lifes, scenes from life and history. Some of his famous works from the early period include “First Communion” (1896), “Science and Charity” (1897), “Portrait of Uncle” (1899).
Blue Period (1901-1904)
The Blue Period of Picasso began after the death of his close friend Carlos Casagemas, who committed suicide due to unrequited love. Picasso was deeply affected by this event and experienced depression. His works began to reflect his melancholic mood and social issues. He used blue tones, creating a cold and gloomy atmosphere. His subjects became the poor, beggars, sick, elderly, prostitutes, blind people, circus artists. He painted them with distorted and elongated forms, emphasizing their loneliness and despair. Some of his famous works from the Blue Period include “Old Guitarist” (1903), “La Vie” (1903), “The Blue Room” (1901).
Rose Period (1904-1906)
The Rose Period of Picasso began after his move to Paris, where he met his first love – French artist Fernande Olivier. Under her influence, Picasso became more joyful and optimistic. His works became warmer and brighter; he used pink and orange tones, as well as added green and purple. His subjects became circus artists, acrobats, harlequins, clowns, jugglers. He painted them with ease and grace, emphasizing their joy and harmony. Some of his famous works from the Rose Period include “Family of Saltimbanques” (1905), “Acrobat and Young Harlequin” (1905), “Girl with a Ball” (1905).
African Period (1906-1909)
The African Period of Picasso began after his visit to the ethnographic museum in Paris, where he saw African and Oceanic masks and sculptures. He was struck by their expressiveness and power and became inspired by their forms and symbolism. His works became more abstract and geometric; he used contrasting colors and sharp lines. His subjects became women, dancers, musicians. He painted them with simplified and fragmented forms, emphasizing their dynamism and rhythm. Some of his famous works from the African Period include “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (1907), “Three Dancers” (1907), “Three Musicians” (1908).
Cubist Period (1909-1919)
The Cubist Period of Picasso is the most well-known and influential in his creativity. Together with French artist Georges Braque, he created a new artistic movement – cubism, which represented objects from multiple viewpoints, breaking them down into geometric shapes. Cubism was divided into two subtypes – analytical and synthetic. In analytical cubism, Picasso and Braque broke down objects into multiple small facets, creating complex and monotonous compositions. In synthetic cubism, they assembled objects from different materials such as paper, fabric, metal, wood, creating simple and vibrant compositions.
Some of his famous works from the Cubist period include “The Factory at Horta de Ebro” (1909), “Portrait of Ambroise Vollard” (1910), and “Guitar, Sheet of Music, and Glass” (1912).
Classicism Period (1917-1925): Picasso returned to classical forms and themes, creating works in the style of Neoclassicism.
Surrealism Period (1925-1937): Picasso became one of the founders of Surrealism, creating works that reflected his interest in the fantastic and mystical.
Pablo Picasso was one of the most influential and well-known artists of the 20th century. His success can be explained by several factors:
• He was a highly talented and prolific artist who created over 50,000 works in various genres and styles, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, and even poetry.
• He was an innovator and experimenter who made significant contributions to the development of artistic movements such as Cubism, Surrealism, Neoclassicism, and Expressionism. He also invented new techniques such as collage and assemblage.
• He was an active participant and leader in the artistic life of his time, collaborating and befriending many other famous artists, writers, musicians, and politicians such as Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Guillaume Apollinaire, Jean Cocteau, Igor Stravinsky, and others.
• He amassed a huge fortune and fame during his long and fruitful career. According to expert estimates, Picasso is the most “expensive” artist in the world: in 2008, the volume of only official sales of his works amounted to $262 million.
