Some Interesting Facts about Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was born in the city of Malaga in Spain on October 25, 1881; and was destined to become one of the most celebrated artists in the world. Some of his talent and love of art may have come from his father Don Jose y Blasco, who was himself an artist. Don Jose loved to show paintings involving nature, and many of his works depicted birds and other animals. At a very young age, Picasso showed a very great interest in drawing. His father realized this and began to instruct Pablo in art at the age of 7.

In 1891 when Picasso was 10 years old, his family moved to La Coruna, where his father became one of the professors at the School of Fine Arts. His father often told of the day he watched Picasso paint over his one of his unfinished sketches of a bird. Don Jose saw the precision and innate talent that was obvious in his son's drawing. He knew that this young boy had enormous talent and Don Jose gave up his own art and continued to support, instruct, and encourage his son’s abilities as an artist.

Pablo Picasso would study art at the Royal Academy of San Fernando, the finest school in the area at that time. At the age of 16 formal training was difficult for Picasso to accept. He had his own unique vision, style, and ideas and wanted to follow his own dreams. He quit the educational program and began to study and practice on his own in Madrid. He is best known as the person who began the Cubism style of painting, along with fellow artist, Georges Braque.

The Cubism method represents objects by painting them as cubes, cones, or cylinders. This type of painting tries to reduce the subject into only geometric shapes with the only added colors being gray or blue. It was hoped that the lack of color would make people focus on the painting itself and the composition.

Along with Cubism, Picasso also was known for his Surrealist style. These paintings are more dream-like in nature and have been very controversial at times.  In these works, many painting subjects are placed side by side. These subjects are often seen in curious positions or have unique appearances. When they are placed together, the viewer can compare them or study the contrast in the two. This juxtaposition, as it is known was often used to create highly unusual and famous paintings.

Some of his paintings are known by the style of composition he was producing during these various times of his life:

The Blue Period -1900
The Rose or Circus Period- 1904-1905
The Classical Period-1905
The Iberian Period-1906
The African Period-1907
The Cubist Period-(1907-throughout the rest of his life)

Among some of his most famous paintings are:

Weeping Woman
Geurnica
Acrobat and Young Harlequin
Boy Leading a Horse
Three Musicians

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