Pablo Picasso

Background Considered the Father of Modern Art and one of the greatest and most influential painters to ever live Born October 25, 1881 and died April 8, 1973 Spanish Painter Learned to paint at age 7 Moved to France at age 20 Challenged traditional artistic norms, even creating his own art movement Father was a painter and a professor of art at the School of Crafts; by age 13 Picasso had all but surpassed his father’s skill as an artist France was a huge mecca for art where many artists came to learn from the great masters Picasso also had an ulterior motive in that he resented Spanish Dictator, Francisco Franco, and all the things he was doing to the Spanish people. He felt like he needed to escape

Early Period Characterized by realism tinged by symbolist influence Many of the portraits are of family members During this time, he was poor, cold, and desperate Realism taught painters to paint what they saw. Symbolist movement taught artists to challenge traditional color schemes to make landscapes and portraits look less realistic. Green rolling hills might be painted purple, the sky green in the symbolist movement He burned many of his paintings just to stay warm; a real shame to the world of art today The first communion depicts his sister Lola The First Communion 1896

Early Period Portrait of Aunt Pepa 1896 Science and Charity 1897 Portrait of Aunt Pepa called “without a doubt one of the greatest in the whole history of Spanish painting” by Juan-Eduardo Cirlot Have students look at the realism Portrait of Aunt Pepa 1896 Science and Charity 1897

Blue Period Characterized by somber and depressed tones of blue and blue-green Started in 1901 after his friend committed suicide Often prostitutes and beggars are his subject matter Blindness and sadness are recurring themes The friend’s name was Carlos Casagemas Have students look at her body language; what is she experiencing? Blue Nude 1902

Blue Period The Old Guitarist 1903 La Vie 1903

Cubist Period Characterized by fractured, squarish 2 dimensional representations of 3D objects Was a movement he co-founded Described as both destructive and creative Convey a sense of raw emotion and realism Co-founder with Georges Braque who both used neutral tones and the idea of taking objects apart Les Demoiselles was the first and was revolutionary, startling even Braque Depicts five prostitutes Reveals seduction and darkness in a wholly new and original way Les Demoiselles d’Avignon 1907

Cubist Period Three Musicians 1921 Self Portrait Facing Death 1972

Cubist Period Guernica 1937 Franco allowed the Nazis to bomb the town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War Reveals the chaos and suffering Left to right: mother with dead child in hand Bull represents the destructive power of the government Dead soldier at the bottom Eye of God is closed Newsprint clippings Broken sword speaks of battles lost The flower is a sign of hope The horse tramples on the people like the government did Faces flee burning houses Guernica 1937