Pablo Picasso Founder of Cubism

ART CRITICISM WORKSHEET Write your… * first and last name * today’s date * art period 1, 2, 3, or 4 * your grade level 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th Now we will practice researching famous artists. We will be discussing the artist Pablo Picasso and the paintings & sculpture he created. Answer each question completely, thoroughly and in your own words. Write on the back or on another sheet of paper if you need more room.

Sit back and watch the movie. Stay awake and pay attention. MEET THE ARTIST Pablo Picasso Sit back and watch the movie. Stay awake and pay attention. Hand out famous artist worksheet About the Self Portrait Painting Self Portrait from 1907 by Pablo Picasso was painted around the same time as his famous Les Demoiselles d'Avignon painting. The portrait is mask-like and possibly influenced by African art, which the artist had a fascination with.

STEP ONE: THE ARTIST Pablo Picasso Spanish Malaga, Spain 1881 1973 What is the Artist’s Name: Pablo Picasso Spanish What nationality (country) was the artist? Malaga, Spain Where was the artist born? When was the artist born? 1881 When did the artist die? 1973 1900 – 1973 When did the artist create art? (time span) started ________ - ended ________

Something about the artwork. Portrait of Dora Maar was painted the same year as Picasso’s famous Guernica. Dora Maar, a photographer, grew up in Argentina and, like Picasso, spoke Spanish. Not only was she a friend of Picasso but she was his model for more than 10 years. Photo of Dora Maar taken by artist Man Ray in 1936.

Pablo Picasso Portrait of Dora Maar Could Bring $50 Million at May 3 Sotheby's Auction Sotheby’s May 3, 2006 evening sale of Impressionist and Modern Art in New York will feature a stunning portrait by Pablo Picasso – Dora Maar au chat 7

STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION In this step of art criticism you carefully make a list of all the things you see in the work. These include the following:

STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION Art Form: Painting Art Movement: Cubism

Credit Line   Pablo Picasso, Portrait of Dora Maar, 1937 Oil on canvas, 92 x 65 cm (33” x 25”) Musee Picasso, Paris, France. Title: Portrait of Dora Maar Date of completion: 1937 Medium and/or process used: Oil on canvas Size: 33” X 25” Owned or gifted by: Musee Picasso fyi - Musee translates from French to Museum Location of original work: Musee Picasso, Paris, France

STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION Subject: (what is the work about?) Portrait of a woman named Dora.

Objects: (what is in the work?) STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION Objects: (what is in the work?) woman’s face, arms, hands, torso chair walls ceiling floor

Details: (look closer and what do you see?) STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION Details: (look closer and what do you see?) In the foreground I see: a woman * she is impossibly shown in a profile and a frontal view * she simultaneously looks away and at the viewer * she is in a classical pose, elegant and social * her head is inclined to the right * her hand is on her right cheek * she has very long, sharp finger nails * the nose becomes an extension to the face

Details: (look closer and what do you see?) STEP TWO : DESCRIPTION Details: (look closer and what do you see?) * the "far" eye seems to be looking straight at us the other eye is looking at herself the eyelashes of this eye are painted to emphasize this inward direction, yet the pupil looks straight out * her hair is shoulder length and curled up at the ends * her right ear is a bee * her elbows are reclining on the arms of the chair * she is wearing an art-deco (style) patterned jacket * she has on a checked skirt Pablo Picasso. Portrait of Dora Maar. Oil on canvas. 1937. Musée Picasso, Paris, France.

Details: (look closer and what do you see?) STEP TWO : DESCRIPTION Details: (look closer and what do you see?) In the middle ground I see: * she is sitting on a chair that is flat. It seems like she would slide right off.

STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION Details: (look closer and what do you see?) In the background I see: * the room in which she sits seems to small, but only add to making Dora the center of attention

Elements of Art used in the art work: STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Lines * arising from the point of the triangle in her skirt, are radiating black lines which look like a bouquet in front of and within the abstract shapes that look like flowers. * the straight vertical & horizontal lines in her skirt create a checkerboard effect * there are many straight solid lines throughout the entire painting 17

STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Lines * vertical lines on the back wall, horizontal lines in the side walls and diagonal lines in the ceiling. * curved lines in the hair, face, neckline hands & fingers and the sleeves of her blouse * the chair is made up of curved lines in the seat and the arms with straight vertical, horizontal & diagonal lines in the rest

Elements of Art used in the art work: STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Colors * her fingernails are bright red * her jacket is black with a purple and green flower motif (design) * one of her eyes are painted red while the other is green * her face is painted white, yellow, red, blue, green, pink and black * in her cheek, is a delicate pink apple with its small green leaf under the eye * small yellow lemon within the apple – which I think represents the opposites of sweet and sour that can be in a woman

Elements of Art used in the art work: STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Colors * the brown chair is painted without any shading but has black outlines and yellow highlights. * the walls, ceiling & floor are painted in a soft wash of pinks, yellows, blue and green

STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Shapes her arms are painted in a flat inverted triangle shape the back of her chair and her torso form one black rectangle with a triangles at its base. her red checked skirt forms a triangle.

STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Shapes the scarf hanging around her neck and falling in front creating a diamond her eyes are almond shapes with circle pupils the walls are rectangles while the ceiling creates a trapezoid along the top of the canvas

STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Forms the arms of the chair create abstract forms the ceiling, floor & walls seem to create a cube

STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Textures the brush strokes of Dora and the chair are smooth and the paint is applied in a solid manner the painting technique of the room is applied in with a splotchy method creating an illusion of rough texture.

STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Space foreground: is occupied with the figure of the woman creating all positive space middle ground is occupied with the chair creating positive space there is negative space in the chair created by the space within the X shapes under the chair arms

STEP THREE: ANALYSIS Elements of Art used in the art work: Space background the walls, floor and ceiling create solid positive spaces with no openings

STEP FOUR: INTERPRETATION What message does this artwork communicate to you? In this step you will explain or tell the meaning or mood of the work. Here you can make guesses about the artwork, as long as they appear to be supported by what you see in the work. Use your intelligence, imagination and courage.

STEP FOUR: INTERPRETATION It is likely Dora Maar felt, as I usually do, like a different person looking at herself than she did looking at the world. Or that the world saw her differently than she felt inside. Since Picasso depicts her simultaneously facing us, and looking within, he could be showing various thoughts and attitudes in Dora Maar.

STEP FOUR: INTERPRETATION The way Picasso placed her sharp red-painted nails against the soft curve of her face makes me think Picasso wanted to depict the need for some woman to look beautiful and to be thoughtfully self-critical at the same time.

STEP FIVE: JUDGEMENT Is this a successful work of art? In this step you determine the degree of artistic merit. Were the art elements use in a successful aesthetics way. Do you like the work? Why or why not – be specific. No one can tell you what to like or dislike. You must make up your own mind.

STEP FIVE: JUDGEMENT Personal Judgment I feel that this is an aesthetically successful painting. The art elements are organized in a recognizable and interesting way making the art work easy to explore and understand.

STEP FIVE: JUDGEMENT Personal Judgment I have enjoyed this painting since the 60’s which was the time for woman's lib. I was a young adult forming my opinions of the world and my views of a modern woman's role during this revolutionary time in history. I would be interested in exploring more art of this style by this artist.

STEP SIX: REFERRENCES This is a research paper which means you should examine at least 3-5 resources for your information on each piece of artwork. This can include complete internet addresses, books including title and author, encyclopedia including title and page number, DVD titles and author, etc.

STEP SIX: REFERRENCES Internet Address: Books: Encyclopedia: DVD: http://www.biography.com/articles/Pablo-Picasso-9440021 Books: Picasso: His Life and Work, Roland Penrose, University of California Press Encyclopedia: http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/picasso_pablo.html DVD: Dropping In On Pablo Picasso, Crystal Productions