Pablo Picasso fractured perspective and turned portraiture on its head. But while he's best known for expanding the boundaries of modern art, Picasso was also an avid student of the masters of Renaissance painting, criticizing their techniques even as he challenged himself to redefine and extend their accomplishments.
Influences
According to the National Gallery of Art, Picasso (1881-1973) was recognized as a talented artist at an early age. Trained in classical painting techniques, Picasso rejected these as a young man. He was heavily influenced by the symbolist movement, a group of poets and other artists who favored feelings and impulse over form and structure.
Early Work
Picasso's art often used strong colors, and these define his two major early periods. The "Blue" period, following the death of a friend, featured dark, dramatic themes of poverty and sadness. Picasso painted his works in varying shades of blue, rarely putting other colors on the canvas. In time, he reversed direction, painting joyous pictures of circus life, featuring shades of red. These paintings make up his "Rose" period.
Cubism
Following his early experiments with color, Picasso became fascinated with cubism. This period resulted in some of his most famous work, featuring skewed perspectives and geometric depictions of shapes and people. According to NGA, Picasso and his fellow cubists tried to recreate three-dimensional images on a flat canvas. Rather than realistically portraying objects, with some sides hidden from view, Picasso tried to show multiple sides of the object.
Protest and Social Comment
Modern warfare deeply affected Picasso. The bombing of a village during the Spanish Civil War lead him to paint "Guernica," perhaps his most famous work. The painting shows the pain and despair that war visits on innocents. It toured widely as a part of peace exhibits in the years before World War II. Largely due to the fame of Guernica, Picasso's work was strictly limited during the German occupation of France, where the artist lived.
Later Work
After World War II, Picasso seemed to retreat from the bold experimentation of the past. Many of his paintings reflected the techniques of the great masters, and some even imitated or re-imagined their work. Dismissed at the time, many critics now view this period as one of Picasso's most productive, during which he found a way to incorporate the past into a modern artistic viewpoint.
Beyond Painting
Picasso was an accomplished sculptor, using ceramics, iron and found objects to create works that were as provocative and groundbreaking as his paintings.
Legacy
Picasso influenced generations of artists. He was a major influence on the surrealist movement of the 20th century, but he did not consider himself to be a surrealist. Today, his determination to find new means of expression and new ways to reflect the world remain an inspiration to young artists. In addition, his vast, complex body of work continues to engage art historians, critics and the public.
