The Life and Legacy of Pablo Picasso

The Life and Legacy of

Pablo Picasso

His Life (1881-1973) Pablo Picasso was born and raised in Málaga, Spain during the late 1800s. He was raised in a religious household, but decided, later in his life, to become an atheist. Art and painting ran in Pablo’s family, his father worked as a small animal painter, an art teacher, and a museum curator. With this much focus on the craft in the family, it was not surprising that Pablo started to learn under his father.

He would be taught to draw and compose oil paintings at the young age of seven. Six years later, Pablo was accepted into the same school that his father taught at, the Barcelona School of Fine Arts. At this point, it is clear that he sought a career and life in expressing his artistic ability. He attended another school of art and started studying artists of the past. He began developing his own style of art which was influenced by Symbolism and Modernism. Over the next few years, he moved to Paris then Madrid, often suffering from extreme poverty. Over the course of his career, Picasso is noted to have had many “phases” of styles that he painted in.

Some of these include: blue period (these paintings commonly had a blue tint to them, and it is believed that he suffered from depressions during this period), rose period (these paintings were made with red or pink tints), African influence/primitivism period (he took influence from African art, this is his most controversial period), analytic cubism (here, he started his cubism frenzy which is likely his most famous art style), and so many more. Picasso even made art to reflect the state of violence in Spain with his paining, Guernica. He had a very interesting, yet confusing love life. He dated woman after woman, even marrying and having kids (he continued his promiscuity even during marriage). While living through both World Wars, he continued to create. In the final years of his life, he settled down with a new wife and started experimenting even more with new styles. In 1973, at the age of ninety-one, Pablo Picasso died.

His Contributions To Art Picasso had many contributions to the world of art. He is, obviously, most known for his grand use of cubism in his works, but he was much more than just that. He is one of the two creators of collage art, he showed the world his ability to combine and alter styles to create whole new ones, he used his imagination to paint, instead of what was actually there, he has nearly thirty thousand works of art open to the public, and so much more. The sheer number of paintings he made, as well as, his experimentation of styles are likely the reason why he is held to a degree alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

His Works

“Action is the foundation

“Everything you can

“Art washes away from the sou

nal key to all success.”

n imagine is real.”

ul the dust of everyday life.”

His Works Continued: Self Portraits You are able to see how his artistic style changed during his career in his numerous iconic self portaits.

The Monument This Monument would be comprised of four separate metal pieces. They would be lined in such a way that would allow the full image to be seen from only one angle. This would require a long, narrow pathway designated for the parts to be set up.

Why Should He Be Given A Monument?

I believe he should have a monument at GMU because of his vast influences on the modern state of art today. I see many artists and painters in today’s age with similar styles to what he used. I also believe that his varying styles and combination/abstract art have opened a new world to be experimented with.

Monument Location (Campus) Although I have never visited campus, I believe an exhibit outside or in the Arts building would be a great place to set the monument.

Monument Location (Worldwide) Since Mr. Picasso spent every opportunity he could manage living in Paris, I believe it would be an homage to the artist who loved the city.

The man who loved what he did and did what he loved.