| Pablo Picasso was born on October 25, 1881 in Malaga, Andalusian a province of Spain. Picasso – the surname of his mother, was taken by Pablo since the surname of his father appeared to be very ordinary and more over, his father Jose Ruiz was also a painter.
Pablo displayed a painting talent at an early age. Since the age of 7, Pablo got training in painting techniques under the guidance of his father, who first entrusted the work of painting the legs of doves on his paintings. But once, entrusting the 13 yr old Pablo to paint an extremely big still life painting, the father was astonished at the creativity of his son and according to legend, he stopped painting afterward.
At the age of 13, Pablo could easily get into the Barcelona Academy of Fine Arts. Students usually took one month for prepare for the examinations, Pablo took just one week. He amazed the committee with his sills and was taken into the Academy in spite of Pablo being very young. Along with his uncle, Picasso's father decided to send Pablo to Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid, which was the best arts school in Spain during those times. So, in 1897, Pablo, at the age of 16, came to Madrid. However, the study duration in the School of Arts was very short, less than a year, and Pablo was amazed by all the other charms of Madrid life and also studying the creative works of artists, who impressed him at that time - Diego Velazquez, Francisco Goya and El Greco in particular.
Cubism (1909 - 1917):
Several stages can be distinguished in the "Cubism" period of Pablo Picasso. "Cezanne" cubism, represented in the works "Decanter and Tureens" (1908), "Three Women" (1908), " Woman with a Fan" (1909) and others are characterized by "Cezanne" shades - ocherous, greenish, brownish but more smeared, the turbid and use of simple geometric shapes, from which the image is being made. "Analytical" cubism: an item is divided into smaller parts, which clearly distinguish from each other, as if the shape of the object spread out on the canvas. "Portrait of Ambroise Vollard" (1910), "Factory in Horta de Ebbo" (1909), "Portrait of Fernarde" (1909), "Portrait of Kahnweiler" (1910). During the "synthetic" cubism stage, the creative works of Pablo Picasso have decorative and contrasting natures. Mostly, paintings depict still life with various objects: musical instruments, notes, wine bottles, smoking pipes, table items, posters...Also, by fearing to convert cubism into purely abstract aesthetic practices, which can be understood by a narrow circle, Picasso and Braque used real objects in their works: wallpaper, sand, ropes etc. Works of the "synthetic" period: "Still-Life with Chair Caning" (1911 - 1912), "Bottle of Pernod (Table in a Cafe)" (1912), "Violin and Guitar" (1913).
Despite the fact that the majority of art-lovers did not accept cubism, Picasso's paintings were sold very well. Finally, ending the miserable existence, in September 1909, Pablo and Fernande Olivier moved into a spacious and bright workshop on Clichy11. Of course, Picasso did not forget to carry his compulsory untidiness: fanciful bottles and vases, guitars, old carpet, paintings of favorite artists - Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, Rousseau, a collection of African masks... He always tsaid that, he feels awesome before harmony and good taste. He purchased items, which fascinated him without even giving a second thought as to how would they look together.
In autumn 1911, Picasso separated from Fernande. His new muse was Eva (Marcelle Humbert), with whom Picasso lived and created cubism works in Montparnasse and in Avignon. One of his works dedicated to Eva was “I Love Eva” (1912). Then the dismal years followed: war, mobilization and separation from many friends, unexpected illness and the tragic death of Eva.
Picasso’s Neo-classicism (1918 - 1925)
In spring 1917, poet Jean Cocteau, who worked with Sergei Diaghilev, suggested Picasso make sketches of costumes and decoration for a future ballet. The artist went to work in Rome, where he fell in love with one of the dancers of Diaghilev's troupe - Olga Khakhlova. They both got married in 1918 and the couple were blessed with a son, Paulo, in 1921. During this period, he was far away from cubism: his canvases were filled with clear and understandable shapes, bright shades and correct faces. The most expressive painting of these years - "Portrait of Olga in Armchair" (1917). Picasso was heavily criticized for changing the style as he was previously criticized for cubism. He replied to these accusations in one of his interviews: Whenever I have had something to say, I have said it in the manner I felt it ought to be said". Other paintings of the "Realistic" period: "The Bathers" (1918), "Women Running on the Beach" (1922), "Portrait of Paul Picasso as a Child" (1923). |
Duch Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima
have commissioned their portrait in the Picasso's trademark cubist style. The portrait was done by
the famous Dutch copycat painter Geert Jan Jansen and is on display in Zeist Castle in the centre of the Netherlands in the exhibition called "Net Echt". The English translation of the exhibition is "Just Like Real". Picasso was often told by people whose portraits he painted that they showed little resemblance. Picasso would always reply "Just wait, in 10 years there will be more resemblance".
