Pablo Picasso & Cubism By Denise Jackson

Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) was one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century.

Picasso’s father was an art teacher and he encouraged Picasso to draw and paint at a young age.

The style or way Picasso painted changed over his lifetime.

When Picasso was in his early twenties his work became different from anyone else’s. His best friend died and Picasso felt alone. None of his paintings were selling and he was almost starving to death.

Because of his mood, Picasso began to paint with a lot of blue. Blue can be a very sad color. He made all the people in his paintings look lonely and sad.

Picasso’s Blue Period ended when he met and fell in love with a girl named Fernande. He started to paint in happier colors and happier things. This was the beginning of his Rose Period.

Picasso painted a lot of circus people during this time. The Rose Period didn’t last very long because he found a new way to paint that was exciting and different.

Cubism Cubism was the next and most famous style of painting Picasso developed.

Cubism is one of the most important periods in the history of modern art. Picasso painted his subjects like they were broken up into little cubes. That is were the name Cubism came from.

Picasso kept working with Cubism and changed it over the years. It became much more colorful and flatter looking. It became easier to see what Picasso was painting.

Picasso wanted to show more than one side of his subject. He put facial features in the wrong places, which many people did not like.

When painting a Cubist portrait Picasso combined the front and profile view in one face.

Can you find both the profile and front view of the face in this Cubist Painting?

Can you find both views in this painting?

What made Picasso such a great artist was his originality, imagination and the courage to try something new. Because of his art, Picasso was a celebrity while he lived. He was recognized by many when out on the street. People said that Picasso only had to make a quick drawing and sign his name to pay for his dinner.

Picasso lived to be ninety-two and did more than just paint. He made sculptures, prints, drawings and beautifully colored bowls and dishes. He even made costumes and scenery for plays.

“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” “Everything you can imagine is real.” “He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law.” -Pablo Picasso