PABLO RUIZ
PICASSO
(1881-1973)
 
Yo, Picasso
P. Picasso, Autorretrato: Yo, Picasso.

 
  • Biography:
     
         Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born in the Adalucian city of Málaga, on the 25th October 1881, in nº 36 Riego Square to be precise. Possibly the most inspired of the modern painters, he showed for the first time the light of the Mediteranean sea, light and color reflected in all his works. His interest in painting and drawing started early, encouraged both by his father, José Ruiz Blasco, teacher in the School of Fine Arts in the Andalucian capital, and his mother, María Picasso López.
     
    At the age of ten, his family moved to La Coruña, where his father was offered a post to teach in the School of Fine Arts there, and where Pablo was admitted at only 11 years old.
     
    And so began his professional career, to travel later to Barcelona in order to carry on with his official study in the Catalan capital.
     
    His first public work was possibly "First Communion", presented by the young Picasso in April 1896 at the Third Municipal Exhibition of Fine Arts in Barcelona. Later, he was to receive a mention of honour for "Science and Charity", a painting which he presented in Madrid, while he studied at the San Fernando School of Fine Art. His innovative character allowed him to digress from the dogmatism of the official schools, which led him to paint freely and meet relevant personalities of the art world. At the beginning of the century, he paid his first visit to Paris, where he met the Catalan dealer Pere Mañach, and where he showed his first collective exhibition in the festive city. Moreover, he also painted his first French work, "Le Moulin de la Galette".
     
    His "blue period" began in 1901 (1901 - 1904), with the sketches for his basic work in this colorist line, "Life". Shortly afterwards, 1905-1906, began his "pink period", showing in the Serrurier Gallery in Paris, where they began to appreciate and buy his works. And it was also at this time when he met Henri Matisse.
     
    In 1907, he painted his famous "Las demoiselles d'Avignon" and cubism began. Along with Geroges Braque, he formed what was known as the "cubist revolution". Within this style he also created scupltures, of which the "Head of Fernande" is his best example, which is a sculptural portrait of his partner Fernande Olivier, with whom he lived until 1912. In 1911, he exhibited for the first time in New York, in Stieglitz's Photo-Secession Gallery. His artistic activity was frenetic and his exhibitions continuous, and this, together with his relationship with Eva Gouel - who inspired his works like "Ma Jolie " - caused Fernande to leave him. Eva then went to live with him, precisely when his father died, on the 2nd May, 1913.
     
    By this time, the Málagan painter was known throughout the world, and showed his first retrospective exhibition in Munich. The First World War started, and many of his friends joined up. Eva became ill with tuberculosis and died at the end of 1915. Because of this, Picasso didn´t undertake any commercial work until the following summer. His interest in other arts, especially music and ballet, led him to meet great masters such as Stravinsky and Manuel de Falla. One of the Russian Ballet´s dancers from Diaghilev, Olga Koklova, was soon afterwards to become his wife. From this moment, Picasso created several sets and dressing rooms for ballet performances. His son Paulo was born on the 4th February 1921.
     
    At the beginning of the 20´s, a surprising "neoclassical" tendency appeared, with his versions of "Three Musicians" and later "Pan´s Flute" masterly reflecting this style.
     
    The appearance in his life of another woman (Marie-Thérèse Walter) and his surrealist tendencies were reflected in his erotic works "Les Metamorphoses". He met Miró and Dalí, and was to become great friends with the former, but his relation with Dalí was one only of professional admiration.
     
    He returned to Spain around 1935 when the influence of bulls appeared in his works, and he produced the "Minotauromaquia" etchings and other works where the minotaur and bullfights were the centre of his inspiration. His happiness in Spain was not to last long, as Civil War was declared in 1936, when Picasso joined the republicans, who named him director of the Prado Museum. But this was a post he never carried out.
     
    On the 1st May 1937, began the most famous work of contemporary art, the "Guernica", which was commissioned by the Republic to represent Spain in the Universal Exhibition pavillion in Paris. At that time, Picasso was living with a new partner, the photographer Dora Maar. At the end of the war, he exhiled himself in France. Shortly before that, in January 1939, his mother died in Barcelona. These experiences added together to another World War, drew Picasso to take up a political postion committed to the French Communist Party in 1944.
     
    Shortly afterwards, and between work and exhibitions, he met his new love, Françoise Gilot, with whom he had two children, Claude y Paloma. Through his political committment, he carried out several pacific works, like "The Dove", "Killing in Korea" and "War and Peace" ... But his personal life broke down once again, Françoise and the children leaving him, and the painter taking up with Jacqueline Roque Hutín, whom he would marry later, in 1961. During the 50´s he devoted himself to organising grand retrospectives throughout the world and carried out studies on classic works like "The Maids of Honour" by Velázquez.
     
    In 1963, the Picasso Museum in Barcelona was inaugurated. This was an important institution to which Picasso himself donated all the works he owned in 1970. Recognitions and exhibitions were innumerable during these years: "American Tribute to Picasso", "Picasso et le Théâtre", "Picasso and Man", "Hommage á Picasso"...
     
    He undertook his last works at the age of nearly 91. They are titled "Embrace" and "Reclining Figures", and are a painting and a drawing respectively.
     
    He died shortly after, in 1973, in Notre-Dame-de-Vie de Mougins and was buried in his castle in Vauvenargues.

     
  • Picasso´s pictures:
    (Click the images to enlarge)
     
    Primera Comunión P. Picasso, Primera Comunión, 1895-96, Oil on canvas, Museo Picasso, Barcelona.
    With comments.
    Yo, Picasso P. Picasso, Autorretrato: Yo, Picasso, 1901, Oil on canvas, colección privada.
    Ciencia y caridad P. Picasso, Ciencia y caridad, 1905, 88 x 68 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Picasso, Barcelona.
    Guernica P. Picasso, Guernica, 1937, 349 x 776 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    Mujer en Azul P. Picasso, Mujer en Azul, 1901, 133 X 100 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    La vida P. Picasso, La vida, 1903, Oil on canvas, Cleveland Museum of Art.
    With comments.
    La tragedia P. Picasso, La tragedia, 1903, 105 x 69 cm, óleo sobre tabla, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
    With comments.
    Familia de Saltimbanquis P. Picasso, Familia de Saltimbanquis, 1905, 213 x 229 cm., Oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
    With comments.
    La toilette P. Picasso, La toilette, 1906, Oil on canvas, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo.
    With comments.
    El harén P. Picasso, El harén, 1906, 154,3 x 109,5 cm., Oil on canvas,Cleveland Museum of Art. Ohio.
    With comments.
    Las Señoritas de Avignon P. Picasso, Las Señoritas de Avignon, 1907, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
    With comments.
    Los Pájaros muertos P. Picasso, Los Pájaros muertos, 1912, 46 x 65 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    La flauta de pan P. Picasso, La flauta de pan, 1923, 205 x 174,5 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Picasso. París.
    With comments.
    Instrumentos de música sobre una mesa P. Picasso, Instrumentos de música sobre una mesa, 1925, 162 x 204,5 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    Figure P. Picasso, Figure, 1928, 73 x 60 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    La nageuse P. Picasso, La nageuse, 1934, 182 x 216 cm., Carboncillo sobre lienzo, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    Madre con Niño Muerto P. Picasso, Madre con Niño Muerto, 1937, 55 x 46 cm., Barra de color, grafito y óleo sobre lienzo, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    Mujer sentada en un sillón gris P. Picasso, Mujer sentada en un sillón gris, 1939, 130 x 97 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    Naturaleza Muerta P. Picasso, Naturaleza Muerta, 1944, 81 x 100 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    Las meninas P. Picasso, Las meninas, 1957, 194 x 260 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Picasso en Barcelona.
    With comments.
    El Pintor y la Modelo P. Picasso, El Pintor y la Modelo, 1963, 130 x 195 cm., Oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía , Madrid.
    With comments.
    Retrato de Ambroise Vollard P. Picasso, Retrato de Ambroise Vollard, 1910.
    Frutero y pan sobre una mesa P. Picasso, Frutero y pan sobre una mesa, 1909.
    Guitarra P. Picasso, Guitarra, 1913.

    • Visit our sponsors: