Picasso's Artistic Phases: A Barcelona Showcase

As he travelled through his art in a series of distinctive periods - Pablo Picasso would go on to become not just an artist, but also an artist who resonated through the entire 20th century. Let's take a look at the key and most characteristic stages of his oeuvre.

1881-1900. Formative Years and Academic Education

It was in Málaga, Spain, where the earliest foothold would begin for Picasso, his birthplace, and early prodigy in drawing and painting. Under his father's roof-he was a drawing instructor-then Barcelona, and later Madrid, wherein he passed his studies in the art schools, established early works typical of traditional forms of academical technique soaked by influences such as those which poured down from every angle by Diego Velázquez and Francisco Goya.
Important works include: "First Communion" (1896), "Science and Charity" (1897), "The First Step" (1903).

1901-1904. Blue Period

The year 1901 was Picasso's year as the crucible of the student in Paris, where the intense highs and lows of emotion and income affected an even greater influence on his artistic development. His canvases at this time were painted in melancholy shades of blue, filled with themes of desolation, pauperism, and human suffering. His works echoed the heavy influence of Spanish art and the masterpieces of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Edvard Munch.
Important works include: "The Old Guitarist" (1903), "La Vie" (1903), "The Blue Room" (1901).

1904-1906. Rose Period

The palette of Picasso changed from the deep tones of his Blue Period to warm colors that flourished to bring an uplifting quality to his works during his Rose Period. Experimenting in shades of rose and earth, with themes replete in optimism, romance, and all whimsy of the circus, his paintings reflected the inspiration by such French masters as Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Symbolist painters.
Important works include: "Boy with a Pipe" (1905), "The Acrobat" (1905), "Family of Saltimbanques" (1905).

907-1909. African and Iberian Influences

Training in this critical period along with Georges Braque was consumed with Africa and Iberia and with their art. He radically changed the direction of his work and became the forerunner of Cubism. This style soon changed modern art.
Important works include: "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" (1907), "Ma Jolie" (1911-1912), "Violin and Candlestick" (1910).

1909-1912. Analytical Cubism

Picasso, in collaboration with Braque, began to work in the style of Cubism. They subverted the standard idea of representation by breaking down forms into geometric planes. Analytical Cubism involved people in multiple perspectives and sought to unravel reality.
Important works include: "Still Life with Chair Caning" (1912), "Portrait of Ambroise Vollard" (1910), "Man with a Guitar" (1911).

1912-1919. Synthetic Cubism

The style of synthetic cubism produced quite big changes in Picasso's and Braque's technique. It implied collage and mixed media in their practice. That is how the everyday entered: layered, pencil-formed texturing-not pure abstraction.
Important works include: "Guitar" series (1912-1914), "Three Musicians" (1921), "Glass and Bottle of Suze" (1912).

1920s-1930s. Neoclassicism and Surrealism

Post-World War I, Picasso had a brief brush with a Neoclassical theme before a dive into Surrealism. His works co-created with functionaries like Salvador Dalí and André Breton conjured dreamlike landscapes, or the merging of classical techniques and psychological symbolism within the frame.
Important works include: "The Three Dancers" (1925), "Guernica" (1937), "The Dream" (1932).

1940s-1973. Late Period

Pablo Picasso's later years saw a constant exploration of different forms of art, including sculpture and ceramics. He worked on themes of mythology, sexuality, and mortality, which made his outlooks deeply introspective into the complexities of life and erected his position on the pedestal of an artistic giant.
Important works include: "The Charnel House" (1944-1945), "Jacqueline Roque" series (1954-1973), "The Kiss" (1969).

Passing through these various phases, Pablo Picasso shaped the mold of art and built an immortal legacy which still continues to enthrall worldwide audiences.