Pablo Picasso's Paintings

The life of painter Pablo Ruiz Picasso did not always go over roses, but now even after his death he is still adored for his masterpieces and his paintings are going around the world for millions of euros.

This master was born on Oct. 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain. Because Pablo developed many talents at an early age, he was loved from that very moment. Talent for art was already in the blood, as Picasso's father, Jose Ruiz Blasco, was also an artist, but was more into still life. Both of Picasso's parents encouraged their son in his artistic ambitions. From an early age Picasso wanted to paint; he also did not go to school without brushes. In 1895, the whole family moved to Barcelona. After months of living among peasants and after many sketches, Picasso soon entered the upper classes of the "La Lonja" art school.

There are many famous paintings by Pablo Picasso that sell for a lot of money. Pablo Picasso's paintings are also best known for the way they are painted. Pablo Picasso's paintings also give a clear picture of how the painter felt during certain periods. In the early the of the 20th century, Picasso developed Cubism 1905-1915 with Georges Braque.

The Blue Period

Early in his career, Picasso experienced a blue period. During this time, he lived in Paris from1901 to 1904 and Picasso's paintings were mostly dark and somber with purple, black, green and blue. Some examples are "Desemparats" and "The Madman."

The Pink Period

After this period, Picasso's paintings became more famous and he achieved his first successes. Also after the blue period, he had a relationship with Fernande Olivier. This was reflected in his paintings, which is why we call this period the pink period. Picasso's paintings became less somber by using softer colors especially pink. Some examples from this period are the "Portrait of Señora Canals" and "Circus Artist and Boy."

Cubism

Surely the most important period of Picasso's life is the period of Cubism. Cubism is recognized by tight and hard expressions with thick layers of paint. Cubism came about as Picasso came into contact with African and Polynesian sculptures that inspired him to paint masks. Picasso, along with his friend Georges Braque, are considered the inventors of this more modern art movement. Consequently, some examples from the Cubist period include "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" and "Blanquita Suárez." "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" from 1907 is considered by art historians as the beginning of 20th century painting.

The Classical Period

When World War I broke out, most men had to join the army, including many of Picasso's friends. This left Picasso feeling isolated and lonely most of the time. This only got worse when his beloved Eva died. The result was a depressed Picasso who could no longer concentrate on his work. He was taken to Rome by Jean Cocteau in 1917 to design sets and costumes for a Russian ballet company. He eventually married one of the dancers and further immersed himself in classical art. This style of painting was more of the Renaissance. Some well-known works of this period are "The Absinthe Drinker" and "Self-Portrait."

The Surrealist Period

After the classical period came the surrealist period in which Picasso experimented with different colors, styles and shapes. An example of a Picasso painting of this period is "The Dance."

The Abstract Period

In one of last periods the abstract period or also called the Picasso style. Picasso started to work more and more abstractly. Some examples of paintings by Picasso from this period are "Abstract head" and "Abstract portrait."

Picasso's 1963 painting called Tête de femme (Jacqueline) fetched 9.2 million euros in London in 2010, its owner is unknown.

Surely Pablo Picasso's most famous painting is "Guernica." This painting by Picasso depicts a German bombing raid on the town of Guernica in 1937. The painting is 3.5 meters high and just over 7.5 meters wide. This painting by Picasso is also considered Picasso's most impressive and controversial painting. Today this painting by Picasso hangs in the "Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia" in Madrid.