Page 65 - International Iconic July 2024

PA B L O
PICASSO

orn in Malaga, Spain in 1881 to artist and professor Don His visit to Italy in 1917 would prompt the artist to start his
Jse Ruiz y Blasco and mother Maria Picasso y Lopez, Pablo experimental works that combined his modernist approach with
BPicasso is known as one of the foremost figures of modern art. the typical neoclassical style. He also paid homage to Classical
After being trained at an early age by his father, Picasso went on to paintings of Old Masters such as Manet and Rembrandt in
study art in Madrid and Barcelona in 1897 and 1899 respectively. later years, mixing the many styles he had experimented with
He is known for inventing the Cubist art movement alongside throughout his illustrious career. In an oeuvre of over 20,000
Georges Braques, where subjects were analysed and depicted artworks, Picasso shaped modern art as we know it today and left
from various angles simultaneously. The movement became one behind a magnificent legacy.
of the most significant in the 20th century. Picasso also pioneered Some of Picasso’s famous paintings include Portrait of
the art of collage, along with influencing the Surrealist movement. Gertrude Stein (1905) created during his Rose Period, an oil on
Between 1901 and 1904, Picasso moved between France canvas painting of the artist’s foremost patrons and friends. Another
and Spain, during which he created his famed paintings from is Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), depicting the influence of
what is known as his Blue Period. His works from this time are African and Iberian art on Picasso’s works. Guernica (1937) is one

“Others have seen what is and asked why.
I have seen what could be and asked why not.”

characterised by the moody blue palette and dark themes like of his most famed paintings, executed after a Nazi bombing of the
poverty, destitution and old age. He then settled in France and city took place and depicts the horrendous aftermath of war. His
created paintings with more cheerful subjects like acrobats, clowns work Faun With Stars (1955) is another chronicling of his stylistic
and other circus performers. Picasso was also heavily influenced versatility, showcasing his fascination with graphic depictions of
by traditional African and Oceanic art along with artists such as mythological figures during this time.
Cezanne and Van Gogh and this helped him ultimately create Several exhibitions and retrospectives have been held around
Cubist artworks. The geometry and bold usage of colours of this the world including London, Paris, Tokyo, Milan, Rome, Venice and
art movement shaped several other influential art movements as New York. His works are now housed in permanent collections in
well including Art Deco. 1912 also saw Picasso inventing collage major museums, including Musee Picasso, Paris; Museo Picasso,
art, bringing several different media such as wicker, newspaper Malaga; Museum Ludwig, Cologne and Museum of Modern Art,
clippings and wallpaper into his work. New York. The artist passed away in 1973 in Mougin, France.