Ask any art student about their favourite artist during the 20th century, and you'll probably get a recurring answer.
Pablo Picasso.
A Spanish artist who demonstrated the boundless possibilities of creativity that we all still enjoy today even though he was born during the 19th century.
What is so special about Picasso? Was he a creative genius that was simply overrated?
Fret not, we got the answers.
In this article, we will review five ways in which Pablo Picasso made a difference in modern art as we know it today.
Contribution 1: Co-founded a New Art Movement in the 20th Century
The first impression that people often have whenever they think of Picasso is that he has an eccentric painting style. You know, where it is usually a series of paintings featuring bold geometrical patterns and out-of-the-ordinary artistry.
Well, there's an actual name for all the descriptions of the art that we mentioned earlier — Cubism.
Influenced by one of the greatest artists during the Post- Post-Impressionism movement, Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso was one of the co-founders of Cubism art, alongside French painter, Georges Braque.
Cubism was widely recognised as the most influential art movement during the 20th century. It was a major shift from the characteristics of the previous art movements where painters created what they observed directly, in terms of the colours, space, and textures.
For instance, during the previous art movements, paintings were created with the expectation that they would look identical or rather bear some resemblance to what we usually think of. If someone requests a portrait painting, the final result will be straightforward. You would see a clear and direct artwork which depicts the exact attire, the exact expression, and the exact hairstyle with the exact colour.
The Cubism art movement, on the other hand, is the total opposite. It objected to the traditional views of fine art and how a subject is depicted in a conventional two-dimensional manner. In other words, Cubism advocates for a new form of reality instead of imitation and direct reflection of nature. It was a paradigm shift from what we see vs how we see.
Learn more about other famous art movements that have impacted the art world over the years.
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Contribution 2: Expanded the Artistic Expression of Collage
Over the years, the development of Cubism has been divided into two distinct phases: Analytical Cubism and Synthetic Cubism.
Analytical Cubism (from 1910 to 1912) artworks comprise a monochrome-coloured composition made up of multiple perspectives, right angles, lines and dimensions in geometrical shapes.
Here are some examples of Picasso's artwork featuring Analytical Cubism:
- Portrait of Ambroise Vollard (made in 1910)
- Girl with a Mandolin (made in 1910)
- The Accordionist (made 1911)
Synthetic Cubism (after 1912) artworks consist of flattened compositions consisting of a wider range of colour assortments and elements of daily life such as sand, bits and pieces of fabrics, newspapers, music sheets etc glued together with the painting.
A few examples of Picasso's artwork featuring Synthetic Cubism:
- Still Life with Chair Caning (made in 1912)
- Bottle of Vieux Marc, Glass, Guitar and Newspaper (made in 1913)
- Three Musicians (made in 1921)
As mentioned earlier, one of the key features of Synthetic Cubism is the incorporation of various materials and objects into the artwork. This innovative technique, commonly known as collage art was further expanded by Picasso, which later became a trademark of modern art.
The word "Collage" is derived from the French verb, coller which means to paste. What Picasso did was he started pasting various paper cuts and materials onto different surfaces. As the artwork combines painting and various cuts of different materials, it produces a new synergy, like a 3D experience.
For example, his collage artwork, Guitar, Sheet Music and Glass (made in 1912) comprises printed music sheets, cut and pasted newspaper, a drawing of a wineglass, and a hand-painted wooden grain.
The expansion of collage art inspired many emerging artists, which in turn spurred new art movements such as Dada and Surrealism.
Some notable artists who continued to adapt collage in their artworks include French visual artist, Henri Mattese, American artist, Ray Johnson, German artist, Kurt Schwitters, American visual artist, Nancy Spero and many more.
Contribution 3: Demonstrate Diverse Subjects & Themes In Artworks
If we were to use one word to describe Pablo Picasso, it would be this: unpredictable. You'll never know his next step.
One thing is for sure, you can tell that he was constantly driven by a spirit of exploration and endless curiosity.
As a painter, he has created many paintings of different categories such as:
Still life artwork
Picasso was a master of creating still-life paintings in the style of different art movements. One of his artworks, Still Life-The Dessert (made in 1901) was painted according to the style of the Post-Impressionism movement.
Another artwork that he painted, Green Still Life (made in 1914) was painted according to the style of the Cubism movement.
Portrait artwork
Portraits are also a favourite of Picasso. He has painted portraits of famous figures such as American novelist and poet, Gertrude Stein as well as American musician, Suzanne Bloch.
Some of his other famous portrait artworks include his partners and his children: Portrait of Olga in an Armchair (made in 1918), Françoise, Claude and Paloma (made in 1954), Paloma Playing with Tadpoles (1954)
Landscapes and cityscapes
Picasso displayed his versatility through his landscape artworks. Though it's relatively fewer as compared to other categories of paintings, they are still widely celebrated and viewed by art lovers globally.
Among them are Landscape with Bridge (made in 1909), La Rue des Bois (made in 1908), and The Reservoir, Horta de Ebro (made in 1909).
Be intrigued by these amazing artists and how they made a difference in different art movements in history.
Photo by JOE Planas on Unsplash
Contribution 4: Experimentation with Different Painting Styles and Mediums
Granted, Picasso has a wide art spectrum, so much so that his artwork has different eras named after his painting styles such as The Blue Period and The Rose Period.
We have mentioned earlier how he was well-versed in different art movements. He did not just stop there. He chose to embrace new painting styles as new art movements like Surrealism evolved. While he was famous for co-founding Cubism, his artistry stretched beyond that.
In terms of painting mediums, Picasso was also experimental. While most of his artworks were predominantly oil on canvas paintings, Picasso was not bound by painting mediums. For example, he created many watercolour paintings on paper such as Head of a Woman (made in 1908), and Sugar Bowl and Fan (made in 1909).
Apart from painting, Picasso was also an all-rounder artist who used other mediums like pastels, charcoal on paper, ink, and etching (printmaking) in his artwork. He was never afraid of trying something new with his artwork.
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Contribution 5: Advocated An Iconic Personal Style and Art Legacy
While Picasso was best known for his painting skills, he was also a renowned sculptor, ceramicist, stage designer and even a poet.
Even with sculpturing, he was bold with different materials and subjects. Some examples of his iconic sculptures include Glass of Absinthe (made with painted bronze), and Woman in the Garden (made with welded and painted iron).
He has proven that art is something that should evolve as a result of continuous experimentation, innovative techniques and most importantly unparalleled dedication. He was not afraid to be different and eccentric in his art.
Some of his most iconic artworks such as Guernica and The Weeping Woman have become representative art of the 20th century.
Without Picasso, the world of contemporary art as we know it today would never be the same. He passed away at the age of 91 in the year 1973. He truly dedicated his whole life to perfecting his craft.
Today, you can view an extensive list of Picasso's artworks all across the globe. From his home country, Museu Picasso, Spain to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York City as well as Tate Modern, London, UK, there's a fragment of Picasso's genius that awaits your discovery.
Photo by Arzu Sendag on Unsplash
Embark on a journey of discovering amazing artworks from different artists and art movements.
We hope this article has offered you a comprehensive view of how the art of Pablo Picasso has changed the world.
And what a fitting way to end on this note in his own beautiful words,
The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away - Pablo Picasso
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