Pablo Picasso - Masterpiece Curations

Learn more about the artistic innovator, Pablo Picasso in this free homeschool study of a master artist.

“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso Early Life

Pablo Picasso (pronunciation) was born on October 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain. From an early age, Pablo proved himself as an artistic child prodigy. His father, who was an artist and art teacher trained him at first, later he was sent to art school in Barcelona, and then Madrid. This piece below was painted by Pablo at age 14:

Later, Picasso moved to Paris, where he quickly found like-minded painters. His work began to attract serious attention and praise by the time he was twenty.

Picasso’s “Blue Period.”

However, after the untimely death of a close friend, Pablo’s work became cold and depressing. Almost all his paintings were in various shades of blue, depicting sad subject matter. This became known as his “Blue Period,” in which he sold very few paintings and almost starved.

“Rose Period.”

As Pablo spent more time in Paris, he made new friends and fell in love. His painting became much warmer, or rosier. This phase is called his “Rose Period,” and he began to sell more paintings.

Picasso began to experiment with bold, new art forms, and after acquiring the valuable patronage of the American siblings Leo and Gertrude Stein, he took his art to a whole new experimental level.

“Cubism.”

Inspired by French painter, Paul Cézanne, as well as the “primitive” art of Africa and the Pacific, Picasso began to create a radically new style. And with the collaboration of friend and fellow artist, George Braque, developed a new style of art known as “Cubism.” In Cubism, subjects are analyzed, broken down into basic shapes, then reassembled in abstract form. Perspective becomes lost as the artist portrays the subject from multiple viewpoints.

Picasso and Braque also invented Collage, the art of gluing papers and found objects to a substrate, such as cardboard or wood.

Always the artistic innovator, Picasso would go on to paint in Surrealism,

Neo-Classicism…

Invent Assemblage…

And finally, try his hand at Sculpting.

Though his personal life was quite controversial, Picasso made valuable contributions to art throughout his entire life and is known as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.